


The Appearance of Power

by Invalid_Username



Series: A Loss of Control [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Dark One!Belle, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-02-12 17:38:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 40,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2118801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Invalid_Username/pseuds/Invalid_Username
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Dark Curse has been cast, bringing with it surprises all round, not least for the Evil Queen who doesn't know how to handle a woman she had been told was dead. But soon it's clear to all the major players that things aren't happening quite how they'd planned, and this so-called Saviour isn't as effective as they had hoped she'd be.</p><p>Part Two of a series, I would recommend reading 'A Shift in Power' first if you haven't already, or this will not make much sense at all :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gathering intel

**Author's Note:**

> Not that this took forever or anything. Guess who's terrible at time management! But, here is the second installment of 'A Loss of Control' which you will hopefully enjoy, and I will hopefully update on a reasonable schedule!
> 
> As last time, I don't own OUAT, all characters belong to Adam and Eddie, Disney, and whoever wrote the various fairy tales first!
> 
> (And not to make this beginning really long, but most (if not all) the chapters will be from the point of view of one person, and will probably cover the events of one chapter only. P.o.v. will alternate across chapters, and I have edited certain events (and inserted certain characters) for my own convenience.)
> 
> Whoever's p.o.v. it is will be at the start of the chapter in bold italics, because I know that was confusing last time :) This first one's more for context.
> 
> Anyway.
> 
> Chapter 1!

_**Henry** _

Storybrooke, Maine, was that kind of town in rural America where everybody under the age of 20 had big dreams, were going to leave and make it out there in the great wide world, and everyone over the age of 20 had finally accepted that they were never going to move anywhere else. Some things in town were basic facts. Everyone knew everyone else, and everyone else's business, and everyone else's schedule. It was the sort of place where gossip made it from one side of the town to the other in the space of an hour, passing lips in hushed whispers and rushed texts over breakfast. The people in charge had been for years, and the newspaper headline on most days was about Mrs so-and-so's cat in a tree, or the third grade spelling bee that what's-his-face won, just like his older sister did two years ago, do you remember that?

All of these things had become a regular part of Henry Mills' short life; he lived on a precise schedule, which was shaped around the town's schedule, which was as predictable as it was dull. People smiled at him on the street, and Ruby at the diner snuck him hot chocolates over the counter as Granny warded off Mr Gold with promises of tea, if he'd just give her a moment. But as a ten year old, young Henry had yet to realise that life wasn't as easy as it was in his story books. Nor was it as black and white.

All he knew was that it was dull.

But recently, he had learned something else.

When Henry was a child (since now, of course, he was all grown up), he never noticed that everyday was exactly the same, the only variation being his mother's activities. He didn't notice that Miss Rachel, the vet, said the same thing to him the same day with the same smile and the same clothes. Everyday Principal Berrin patted him on the head as he walked down the hallways. Penny was always sent to stand by Miss Caprice's side at exactly 1:17 every lunch because she threw her sandwiches (which were never right) at Donnie. He _did_ notice that he was friends with her one year and she forgot him the next, but all his friends were like that; he didn't mind. _That_ much. But now he was more grown up, being ten, Henry could tell you exactly what would happen everyday, and when.

On weekdays, at 6:30, his mom - Regina Mills (or 'Madame Mayor') - would wake him up for school. He would shower and dress, and trudge down the great, winding staircase for a breakfast of whole-wheat toast and low fat butter, and as many strawberries as he could get away with before his mom smacked his hand away and made him take apple slices too. Then it's upstairs to brush his teeth and check his backpack, and then a mad dash out the door before his mom can lecture him. This year he walks to the school-bus with Paige, a girl in his grade (who's really pretty), and they make it to school at 7:45, ready for lessons to begin at 8:15. He has five lessons every day, each an hour long. First he has Miss Blanchard, who teaches Math and English in the first two sessions, and an artsy, let's-make-a-birdhouse, session in the afternoon. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays is Science third with Mr Francesco and then History with Mr Wesel. On Tuesdays and Fridays, Science was replaced with Art, as taught by Miss Bijou. Fourth was sport (usually baseball or dodge-ball, depending on the weather), led by Mr Knight. Lunch lasted an hour, from 1 until 2, between lessons 4 and 5, and everyday he sat with Paige, eating his healthy sandwiches and watching Penny throw food at Donnie.

After school Henry would walk with Paige as far as Widow's Way, where she would make the turn to head home, and he would head to the diner. He'd order grilled cheese, and then be off to the park to guard over his castle, after suffering though Mad Old Mr Colin commenting on just how much he'd grown. Archie would walk Pongo past the castle at exactly 7, and that was Henry's cue to head home. Dinner was usually lasagna, and then he'd scuttle off to hide in his room and read. Fridays were different because his mom would make him an early dinner (of lasagna), and then drive him to therapy sessions with Archie (or Doctor Hopper, as she would insist he call him), and then it was back home and a strained car ride where she would try to discuss therapy, after which he would escape upstairs at last.

Weekends only brought the slight variation of no school, and diner food for breakfast. Mom still worked from 9 'till 5 (or later, usually), and he still spent most of the day at the castle to avoid the empty silence of the Mayoral Manor.

From several years of routines like this, Henry could tell you several things about the town and its inhabitants. Ten stick out as necessary knowledge:

First, Regina Mills was in charge of everything, and if you weren't afraid of her it was because you were crazy. Only five people weren't afraid of her:  
One was Mr Gold, a humble man who owned a Pawn Shop and didn't have any logical reason not to fear her (besides aforementioned madness, which was entirely possible).  
Another was Miss Bouquin, who matched Regina in power, as where the Mayor controlled everything, Bouquin owned it.  
The third was Mad Colin, but that wasn't a surprise.  
Fourth was Granny, from the diner, but she threatened everyone with her imaginary crossbow on a daily basis, even Bouquin.  
Fifth was Mr Madden, who was definitely mad, often followed Paige home, and was to be avoided 'at all costs, I want you to listen to me on this Henry!'.

Second, Miss Bouquin was not to be double crossed or lied to, because she would find out, and then you'd be evicted. She seemed sweet, but this was really only skin deep. Lurking below the surface was a darkness she hid well.

Third, Gold didn't seem threatening, but word was even Bouquin minded his temper. He was to be avoided too.

Fourth, Granny probably _does_ have a crossbow, so watch what you say about her.

Fifth, watch what you say around her granddaughter, Ruby, too. She hears everything, and spreads it across town quick as a whip. Between her and Miss Blanchard (a surprisingly devoted gossiper), everyone will know your secrets in no time at all.

Sixth, if any of these secrets come within earshot of Sidney Glass, they'll be _front page news_ in no time at all.

Seventh, nobody leaves town no matter what, and approaching the town's borders makes you want to go home.

Eighth, a creepy Danish man named Reitzel lives on Anders Street, and usually sits in front of his window, whilst naked, waving at passers-by.

Ninth, the man who has been in the coma 'for eight months' has been in said coma since before anyone can really remember, which is definitely more than eight months.

Tenth, everyone in town is a fairy tale character under a dark and terrible curse, and Henry is going to set them free.

That last one is the 'something new'. And that's really all you need to know.


	2. The Beast in the Library

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.
> 
> Still not much going on yet. Sorry :(

_**Ellena Bouquin** _

According to daytime television, rich people in America are followed around by a little group of moochers and fake-friends, hoping to have their loyal friendship rewarded with a new Ferrari or kitchen even as they gossip about their 'friend' behind their backs. This didn't really seem all that accurate to Ellena, although TV isn't all that trustworthy in her opinion. She didn't have any friends, and the only person who followed her around was Dove. And Dove, in fact, only follows her around because some guy whose name she can't remember went after her with her crowbar for no reason at all (that she'd recently repossessed his house and left him, his wife and their teen-aged daughter homeless had nothing to do with it, she's sure). Now she has a bodyguard to make sure she doesn't lose anymore teeth. He's just there at important social functions, not that Storybrooke has all that many, and she doesn't need him around much; as mentioned, people don't often approach her.

To be honest this was a bit of an issue, considering she ran the Library, but still. Better they avoid her than have a bunch of old ladies and five-year-olds interrupt her lazy day. The town Library is a surprisingly nice place to be for Ellena, especially considering how much she hates books. She only runs it because she needs a legitimate business in town and this is the only one that came with an apartment attached (she needs as many apartments available as possible on land she owns, in case someone comes to stay in town). It's nice to have somewhere people can find her, too. That way, if they _do_ have the courage to approach her, they don't ruin her lunch by marching up to her at the diner.

Ellena didn't consider herself an intimidating person; so far from it, in fact, it was ridiculous. She was a measly 5 feet 2 inches tall, a height increased only marginally by her heels, and her long brunette hair and big blue eyes made her look a bit too much like some Disney Princess for her own liking. Her clothing was serious and usually dark, but the effect was ruined by faint laugh lines that she didn't remember ever smiling enough to earn. She had a single gold tooth, a canine, but that was the only thing about her that was odd, appearance-wise. People focused far more on her incredibly thick accent. Ellena was noticeably French, and one would think her name would give that away, but it seemed no-one in town was well-versed in foreign languages, with the odd exception. She had been born in Rouen, a town no-one seemed to have heard of, and had moved to the states not ten years prior. Within no time at all the States had ruined her once laid-back personality, the town was hers to own and control, the Library tabooed zone for everyone else, and thus a quiet place for her to kick back.

But with no-one coming in there's nothing to do at the Library all day, so most of Ellena's days are spent harassing the Mayor, confusing Mr Glass, and trying to disturb the local nuns as much as possible. As well as discussing new knitting techniques with Irene, but the town doesn't need to know about her soft spot for the old woman. On rent day she prowls around town, terrorising the citizens and death glaring the florist who never seems to make his payment in time. The nuns suffer especially on this day, and Mother Superior has taken to sending Sister Astrid to the edge of the property with the rent each week. This way Ellena interacts with the only nun she can tolerate (since Sister Astrid is hopelessly adorable), and the infamous 'Demon of Storybrooke' does not make it onto sacred church property. Every week Ellena will place her foot over the property's border, just to watch Mother Superior scowl from the dusty window.

The day after rent day Granny is especially terse, late payments are chased down (she is dangerously close to confiscating French's van), she visits Leroy in jail since that is where he spent the night (and he always fails to cough up the cash, although she secretly has a soft spot for him too), and then the rest of the month is open. Harassing the Mayor is definitely one of her favourite things to do. Last week she and Dove picked all of the snow drops and snow bells the pair could find and then she had him decorate the Mills' office with them whilst she was with her son. The look on the Mayor's face when Miss Blanchard complimented her on her new flowery perfume, no doubt the left over fragrance, made the whole thing perfect. Ellena was in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Interactions with young Henry Mills, aforementioned son, usually ruin the rest of the day, however; the boy's cheerful nature is constant and irritating. Recently, though, he'd seemed a little preoccupied. Since he was one of the few who actually dared enter the Library she had ample opportunity to study him, and in the recent months he'd been reading a new book (something about fairy tales, she didn't really care), and it seemed to be distressing him. That mixed with his therapy sessions and the probing questions he would ask everyone he ran into (do you have any step-sisters? how about frogs, do you have a pet frog?) she was almost worried.

That he didn't show up for his therapy session with Doctor Hopper yesterday only has her more concerned. Ellena had seen a stranger in town throughout the day today, no doubt the birth mother he was so desperate to find. A tall blonde, all long legs and red leather. She looked like the type to cause trouble, which was an issue for Ellena as the town's wealthiest citizen. Didn't want to have to keep providing funding for new town signs. She shook her head. She didn't have time for such concerns, which frankly weren't hers to have. She shelved the last few books in the box she held, and prepared to lock up. Today was rent day, and she knew for a fact Mrs Lucas was at least $100 behind this month.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of hugs to everyone that has read, liked and so on so far ^-^ Makes me so happy :)


	3. Almost a fairy tale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.  
> Still nothing especially interesting going on (sorry guys!), but chapter 3!

_**Emma** _

Storybrooke. What kind of name was Storybrooke? It fitted its name well, but really? _Storybrooke?_ It made it sound like some cutesy, fairy tale town with singing Disney Princesses, not-very-wild wild animals, and cartoony buildings. Although now that she thought about it, Emma _had_ seen Disney-esque women wandering around (see Mary Margaret Blanchard for reference), and a great wolf in the middle of the road, and an adorable clock-tower-slash-library right on Main Street. This town actually could be right out of a Disney movie, especially if you followed the Kid's theory. 

Just imagine the trailer: _'Once upon a time there was an enchanted forest filled with all the classic characters we know. Or think we know. One day they found themselves trapped in a place where all their happy endings were stolen. Our World. And this is how it happened...'_ And then, whoosh, there would be Prince Charming and that Sleeping Beauty Dragon and Rumplestiltskin, and then a great cloud of smoke and then _'In a small town, in Maine...'_. That would actually be pretty great. She should write for children's television (Note to self: I, Emma Swan, would be fabulous at writing for children's television). The town even had its own resident villain; the Mayor or 'The Evil Queen'. That was a part of the Kid's theory too, a huge part. The 'Kid' being her supposed son (who looks a lot like his supposed father, so the 'supposed' probably doesn't apply) who was adopted by the possibly-evil Mayor of Storybrooke. His idea was that Regina (his Mayor-mom) had cursed the whole of Disneyland or whatever, and everyone in it was now in Storybrooke, with no memories of their 'past lives'. His bio-mom (i.e. Emma) was the Saviour, there to, well, save them. The kid's therapist was supposedly Jiminy Cricket, the word 'therapist' being the focus of that sentence.

Emma didn't find the theory very convincing even without the addition of Jiminy Cricket and Snow White (who the kid thought was her mother, even though they were practically the same age (and 'Snow White' was supposed to be the previously-mentioned Mary Margaret, whose Disney Princess persona clashed so terribly with Emma's own ex-con identity)). The kid seriously seemed to think his own mom was an evil witch and, apparently, evil for no good reason. If there was one thing Emma knew, there was always a reason. Anyway. Magic wasn't real, Disney wasn't real, and those fairy tales were too depressing to think about. As an orphan you might think she had no knowledge of fairy tales, but no. Emma has an extensive knowledge of fairy tales - and flashback to when she begged her third family for a bedtime story, just one, to keep the nightmares away, and the entire collection of the _Grimm brothers_ tales makes contact with her face. That did _not_ keep the nightmares away. So yeah, she knows all about the eating of hearts, and death by sea foam, and the conceiving and birthing of one's children during one's own sleep. So she doesn't really like fairy tales (or even Disney, for all the lies it feeds to kids).

But this really _does_ look like a Disney town. Including this Bed and Breakfast, and she wonders why it's named 'Granny's'. Perhaps it's run by one of the fairy tale grandmothers, like Little Red Riding Hood's. Wouldn't that be great? It had a cute little crooked path, and vines climbing up the sides (and an overgrown hedge), and an old woman yelling at her grand daughter. Great. They haven't noticed her. Awkward. But it gives her the chance to survey the place. Dust clings even to the walls, and cobwebs are creeping across the corners, and the cliche little bell. And now that they're paying attention to her they have a great dusty book for the guests, and this little old lady actually keeps her glasses on a chain.

She's so distracted by the cozy, old-fashioned feel of the place that she doesn't feel the air shift behind her, and isn't aware of a fourth presence behind her until it repeats her name after she gives it.

"Emma. What a lovely name."

A bit creepy, to be honest. She gives an awkward smile, and gets a malicious one in return. It didn't really fit the face that it came from. A petite brunette with delicate features and piercing blue eyes, soft lips and a rounded nose. She's dressed quite seriously for such an adorable person; somewhere between the Mayor's pantsuits and Emma's couldn't-care-less skinny jeans, but with skirts and a bunch more frills. With a 'thanks' Emma's turning back around, but 'Granny' is distracted by the front-desk drawer.

"It's all here." The old woman's gaze was harsh as she held the money out with an open palm, as though the blue-eyed brunette behind Emma was likely to pull a gun and snatch the cash.

"Oh, yes, yes of course it is dear. Thank-you." (Shady deals, me thinks.) Her accent was thick, possibly French. She did look kinda French. With an awkward nod the young woman departed, her eyes hazy and seemingly out if it. _Perhaps she's high_. Just inside the door the woman turned back the blonde. "You enjoy your stay. Emma." The name rolled off her tongue like she'd said it a thousand times before.

"Who's that?" Emma questioned, curious and confused.  
"Miss Bouquin" the girl in red replied.  
"She owns this place."  
"The inn?"  
"No. The town." Granny's words were soft, but the next ones held a word of warning. "She's nice enough on her own, unprovoked of course, but it's her employee Mr Gold you've got to watch out for."  
"Yeah. She's in charge, has all the power, but its like that guy controls her. Makes you wonder what he could have on her she doesn't want us to know."  
"Oh hush Ruby. That Bouquin is too sneaky to get caught out like that, even by Gold."  
"I remember when she was nice, just after she moved here. Remember? She and I used to go to the Rabbit Hole and stuff, before she and Gold started their feud and-"  
"-Anyway!" Granny didn't hesitate as she spoke over half of her grand-daughter's sentence. "How long will you be with us?"

And then, at the answer of 'just a week', Emma was finally welcomed to Storybrooke by something other than a sign. With a bright smile she was sent on her way. What could possibly be so bad about Mr Gold and his employer for Ruby to speak of them both so darkly?

* * *

As 'Miss Bouquin' stumbled down the street, rubbing her forehead and muttering Emma's name under her breath, Henry, back at the manor house, watched with great interest to see if the great clock would finally move once more.


	4. A brief history of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer.  
> Still nothing happening (eye-roll at self) but I already have the next chapter prepared, so that on will be posted tomorrow instead of next week.  
> Not that much happens in that.  
> Chapter four!

_**Mr Gold** _

Mr Austin Ursus Gold was born in a small, insignificant town in Scotland to a mother who died before he knew her and a father that really couldn't care less. He married young, how young he honestly couldn't remember, to a woman named Maria... something. He supposes it says a lot about their marriage that he can't remember her maiden name. He probably drowned it in whiskey and bourbon and the harsh vodka he bought in Russia that honestly didn't do its job. The marriage was brief, before he discovered she was cheating on him with some Irish fool whose name was also wiped from his mind. Perhaps his age was getting to him. The marriage was worth it, though, for the son he got out of it. His Baden was his light, the perfect focus of a less than perfect life. It was in the middle of a messy divorce that his son was lost, as his almost ex-wife's new boyfriend sped recklessly down a stormy road.

The resulting crash into a moving van left the Irish idiot with one less hand, his wife with one less working heart, and Mr Gold with one less son. He felt like he himself died that day. So he did what an man without roots would do in such a situation. He relocated halfway across the world. He ended up in some pathetic little town in Maine and there he had stayed, running a lowly pawn shop and causing trouble for the citizens. One such citizen was Cora Mills, with whom he had a brief, unfortunate and (thankfully) secret affair, before she vanished without a trace. The police thought he might have had something to do with it, but such a thing was never proved. He had hoped to be rid of the woman and all reminders of the woman when her daughter was somehow elected Mayor. That he couldn't remember how long she had held the position was the source of more concern for Gold.

Then there was the town's reluctant librarian. He truly did have a terrible taste in women. This one was lovely, but alas he ruined her as well, though less intentionally he had Cora. Ellena had been a truly wonderful woman that he had loved more than he had any other woman; until she said that _she_ loved _him_. He knew it couldn't be true so he drove her away, but then in an act of vengeance she could only have pulled off with the assistance of the Mayor, she somehow seized the whole of his business in one fatal swoop. Every piece of land he had gradually bought in Storybrooke over the years was now hers. All he had left was his pawnshop, and (entirely fabricated, not that she knew that) evidence that Ellena's methods were less that legal. So they weren't together, and she doubtless hated him, but Gold still saw Ellena everyday in the Library she hated, and got to speak to her every time she needed him for something. She might hold all the cards, but no one knew contracts like Mr Gold.

Mr Gold's pawnshop sat at the corner of the street, opposite the carpenter's workshop, and its interior coated in a thick layer of dust that had stayed put for years. Sometimes it got some interesting characters (such as the Mayor, who once asked him to give her a child, and wasn't that a disturbing conversation), and a 'crazy hat man' who called himself Jefferson (which wasn't his name) who came in every now and again to ask if he remembered yet. Sometimes Gold would venture outside his pawnshop to somewhere other than his hideously pink Victorian, such as to Granny's diner (where Ellena could often be found, not that that was his motivation), where he might run into Henry Mills, the local dreamer, as Miss Lucas put it.

It seemed the young gentleman had been dreaming a little more lately, and wishing harder too. In an _exceedingly_ rare wander around town (to the docks and back, which really only took an hour out of his day), Gold had seen, yesterday, the boy on the rickety old wooden fort often hid in with a blonde woman who couldn't yet be thirty. He had paused in his walk, and watched as the woman bent to look the boy in the eyes. That must have been the mother Miss Lucas had mentioned, that had stayed the night in the town jail, and all the town was talking about. He wondered what her name was, but immediately dismissed the fleeting thought. He had continued his walk unconcerned, but soon found himself pondering the question, and how to discover this most interesting piece of information. Though why he found it so vital he honestly could not say.

He now considered instead the clock-tower above the Library, that had once again begun to tick. Perhaps the Mayor had finally gotten off her high horse and actually fixed something around town for once. _Not bloody likely_. He smirked. Mayor Mills was far too busy trying to control her son, which clearly wasn't working based on the way he had been fawning over the blonde, and having Sydney Glass publish lies in the drivel he called a newspaper. Speaking of, perhaps the blonde's name could be found within. Perhaps he should actually have read the thing for once, instead of skimming it. He stood from inspecting the spinning wheel he kept in the back of his shop, considering throwing the old thing out, since he couldn't actually use it, and stalked to the front of the shop. His breath quickened at the thought of finally discovering the elusive woman's name, although he couldn't say why it was so important to him. His palms were sweating as he dragged the paper across the glass top of the counter, his vision blurring as he turned over the copy that he'd collected at the diner to use as packaging for the more fragile items that could be found at the shop. _'Emma Swan, pictured left...'_

Well. That certainly explained a lot.


	5. Never victorious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.
> 
> Guess who got carried away? Pretty sure this is just the whole episode typed out. Oh well. This is why I uploaded it today, and not next Monday. Consider it a filler ;)

_**Regina Mills** _

This was _not_ how it was supposed to work! Miss Swan should have left town immediately, or at the very least accepted the apples that morning and left, but _no_ she had to stick around and cause trouble! And that blasted Snow White had interfered in her happy ending, _again_ , and now her son hated her! No, this was not how things were supposed to go. But there was always hope. The Swan woman was bound to slip up, and when she did Regina would be there to pull the carpet out from under her. And if that failed, she could always have Gold orchestrate something. Even without his memories that blasted imp was a force to be reckoned with.

Such measures may not even be necessary, however. Regina had received a call from the pathetic insect, and it seemed Miss Swan already _had_ slipped up. And stealing the files of a patient was a criminal offence. She put the phone back in its cradle and smirked to herself, pushing up from her mahogany desk. She picked up her jacket and draped it over her shoulders, grabbing her bag on the way out of the building. It was time to show Henry who his so-called 'mother' really was.

The Mayor flicked her hair over her shoulder as she power walked down the street, glaring at those foolhardy enough to make eye contact (which was only that creep Kevin or Keith, the once Sheriff of Nottingham, who leered until she stared him down). Her dark heels _clacked_ against the sidewalk as she approached the elementary school, and she scowled to see the simpering Snow White sat outside under a tree teaching a group of children some pointless lesson or another that was believed in this magic-less realm. Regina disrupted the class without hesitation, putting down the protests of Miss Blanchard and calling her son to her side. She explained Miss Swan's crimes how she was a con-woman, not to be trusted.

"She's trying to learn about us in order to take advantage of us. That's why she's sticking around. I'm sorry."  
"No you're not."

In no time at all her well-placed confidence was gone, and Henry had run off to rejoin the Royal Betrayer of Secrets before Regina could so much as blink. Perhaps she should reconsider calling on the imp for aid. She headed back to the office. She, unlike some, still had important work to do.

Her work was interrupted by a low growl, and she clenched her pen tighter for a brief moment, the irrational fear that Maleficent had escaped causing her knuckles to whiten around the object in her hand. Then the moment ended and she leaped to her feet to look out the window. There, in the middle of a perfectly manicured lawn, was Miss Swan, assaulting her beloved Honey-crisp apple tree with a rusted chainsaw. A broken limb fell to the ground, and the offender looked up in time to make eye-contact with the Mayor before she stormed outside.

"What are you doing!?"  
"Picking apples."  
"You're out of your mind-"  
"-No you are if you think a shoddy frame job is enough to scare me off, you're gonna have to do better than that. And come after me one more time and I'm coming back for the rest of this tree, 'cos sister you have no idea what _I'm_ capable of."

Regina's nostrils flared as every expression of rage was met with uninterested sarcasm. This tree had been a _childhood gift_ from her _late father_ , and was the only thing she cared for that had lasted as long as she had! The nerve of that Swan, to go after her apple tree.

"Your move."

An eye twitch was all that met Emma's swagger as she walked away.

 

It took at least two hours to pick up all of the trees knocked down by the attack, a time during which the esteemed Sheriff decided to make an unwelcome visit. The foolish man was allowing his schoolboy crush to cloud his judgement. He would arrest that Miss Swan as many times as she told him to! And now that the criminal didn't have anywhere to live courtesy of laws against felons at the B&B, it was only a matter of time before she got herself arrested for an actual crime. Then The Huntsman would be sorry for trying to go against the Evil Queen, and Henry would love her again. She _would_ succeed, because he was _her_ son. The next phase of her plan was ready. She once again placed the office phone back in its cradle, and sat back to wait.

It didn't take long for the blonde to walk in and make herself comfortable (pulling up her mucky feet onto an expensive couch), and by steadily talking in circles Regina managed to force the Swan woman and her son apart. Let's see her take him now.

"Your move."

 

It was much later, already quite dark, when she was finalizing the rearrangement of the leaves of her precious tree to properly hide the ugly scar it now bore. She was just finishing up, ready to return home, when she sensed an intruder in the shadows. She expected the imp to creep in like he always used to, eyes laughing and hands dancing, and found herself unpleasantly surprised when his little maid sauntered out instead. She'd chased the damn woman off a cliff and she was _still here_. And Rumplestiltskin must have known that since Mr Gold and Miss 'Bouquin' were allies in this Realm, if hesitant ones. She looked a little worse for wear today, however, dark circles under her eyes and a new sense of exhaustion to her voice.

"What a mess." The town's unwilling Librarian, and town _owner_ , came closer, and nudged the sawdust remains on the lawn with her heeled foot.

Regina gave her best 'uninterested' smile. "Not for long." Since the man this woman once worked for now worked for _her_ , there was clearly something Regina had missed. "What can I do for you Miss Bouquin?" The woman gave a little start, like the name was a surprise, and gently bit her lip. Regina immediately narrowed her eyes, suspicious. That had been a habit of _Belle's_ back in the old world (not forgetting her name now, with that ridiculous musical cartoon that celebrated her and her beastly imp), but it wasn't one that 'Ellena' ever seemed to pick up.

"I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd pop by." Regina rolled her eyes. The two were ever bumping into each other, passing on the roads and the like. "Lovely to see you in such high spirits." The girl circled the tree, and the Mayor laughed. 

"Well it's been a good day." She grinned, the red of her lips as dark as the red of her treasured apples. "I just rid the town of an unwanted nuisance."

"Emma Swan? Really" the girl questioned, sounding unconvinced.

"Yes. I imagine she's halfway to Boston by now." The brunette's victory was short lived as Bouquin reached out a quick hand and harshly plucked an apple from its branch.

"I wouldn't bet on that." Regina glared, and Bouquin flinched. "Well I just... just saw her strolling down the, uh, the Main Street with your boy. Thick as thieves they looked." She gave a nervous laugh.

"What?" A little jump.

"Perhaps you should have come to me? If Miss Swan is a problem you can't fix... I'm only too happy to help." It was moments like this the darkness Belle had never possessed would creep out and beat back the fear of Regina that was much more common, however much she tried to hide it. "For a price of course." Regina turned back to her tree. 

"I'm not in the business of making deals with the likes of you anymore."

"To which deal are you referring?" The Mayor spun back to find the little maid examining the apple in her hand from every angle, before lifting her gaze to the woman before her.

"You know what deal." A dash of fear made it through her heart, the same kind she got when speaking with Gold. What if he _remembers_ this time? He never did.

"Oh yes. The boy Gold and I procured for you." She turned back to her tree, losing interest in the invader on her lawn. Until... "Henry. Did I ever tell you what a lovely name that was? Mr Gold agrees. How ever did you pick it?" Her eyes widened as she turned.

"Did you two want her to come to town? You wanted all this to happen didn't you? Your finding Henry wasn't an accident was it?" The blasted woman was smirking now, a crooked grin more befitting of the imp than a Disney 'Princess' like her.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Where did you get him?" There was no way this Lord's daughter could ever out glare her; she was the Evil Queen! The woman was holding her own though, and her grin was only growing. "Do you know something? Who is this woman, his mother, this... 'Emma Swan'."

There was a brief pause, and Regina could feel the dread within herself building; that Miss Swan could be a danger to her hard earned happiness, that Bouquin had never spoken to her with such confidence, minus a few twitches here and there, before. Then the blue-eyed brunette took a breath. "I would say you think you know exactly who she is." This was bad. This was very, _very_ bad. "I really must be going."

The Mayor moved to block Reading's path, demanding "Tell me what you know about her."

"I'm not going to answer you, ma'am, so I suggest you excuse me." Regina scoffed. She wasn't going to get out of this harlot's way for anything, not even-"Please."

The crooked grin returned, and Regina could only stand in shock as Reading took a bite out of the fruit in her hand and then abandoned it on the ground. She swayed slightly as she turned to watch her go, her head spinning. That one word, please, upturned everything she thought she knew and caused bile to rise in Regina's throat. There was no compulsion behind the request, but she said it like it was significant.

Said it like she _knew_.


	6. The work begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.  
> Stuff finally starts happening, now I've got the context out the way. Huzzah!  
> Please note I have no idea how hospitals work on a day-today basis (although tests certainly aren't run that quickly).

_**Belle** _

It didn't take much to adjust to remembering, surprisingly enough. A whole set of memories of how to survive in the magic-less realm, mixed with a childish belief in magic that she never truly rid herself of, meant that Belle, or 'Ellena', as she should take to calling herself, didn't really feel all that surprised after learning that Henry's crazy theories were all true. At least, it didn't seem that surprising after she'd spent a good five minutes upon returning to her Library (and that was an offence she would have to bring up with Regina, sticking in her in a Library but making her hate books) just sat against the door, breathing deep with her head between her knees. She may have fallen asleep huddled against the wood's flaking paint, but really. When she woke up everything finally made sense; this was why she never remembered the years people were born in, because that information _changed_ every year. It also explained why the town had so many odd inhabitants. She would have to compile a list of who everyone was. She did have some questions regarding her remembrance (also her French accent, which was annoying and difficult to maintain now that she remembered having another one), but for now it was time for late night entertainment. Since she was adjusting so _brilliantly_ to her new (old?) memories (which had forced her to close the Library because she couldn't focus, but she practically owned the place (and the town) so she could do what she wanted), she'd decided to treat herself to Granny's, and a game of guess who.

She was currently enjoying watching Snow White suffer through a date with whoever Doctor Whale was, the latter enjoying himself very much by admiring the show Miss Lucas, Ruby, was unintentionally giving him. Ruby plus crazy Grandmother probably meant that the waitress was Little Red Riding Hood, which made the whole thing that much more surreal (a surreality she was adjusting to very well. Of course. No hyperventilating over _here_ , thank-you very much). And Snow White has cottoned on to Whale's inattention (certainly took her long enough). Belle wondered if, like in the fairy-tale Snow White and Rose Red, Mary Margaret and Miss Lucas knew each other in the old world. Stranger things had happened, after all, such as Beauty turning into the Beast.

Mary Margaret has left the diner by now, unimpressed by Whale's wandering eye, and just as Rumple had her do in the old world, Belle is trailing behind. Even without all the mighty stealth of the Dark One she remains undetected, but it's not like the school teacher possesses Snow White's observant nature. The woman walked right across the road without looking (not that Storybrooke roads are dangerous), has stepped in three puddles, and walked right past a man (Jack, Belle thinks) who slipped her wallet right out of her purse. Belle demanded it right back when he came to her, and he meekly handed it over. The brunette was far from impressed that she managed to slip it back in Mary Margaret's purse unnoticed. The woman is far too busy being miserable to notice her surroundings. 

She has managed to notice her own daughter, however. It is pure luck for Belle that Miss Swan's battered Yellow Bug sits right across the street from her Library. She can pretend to have misplaced her keys as she watches Miss Blanchard and her atrocious dress approach the driver-side window. The short haired brunette leans down to converse, hopefully about why the eye sore and its owner have been in sight of the Library for pretty much the whole day. No offence to Miss Swan and her predicament (and now that she thinks about it, Belle could absolutely rent her an apartment), but seeing that car sitting there all day as the blonde apartment hunts is depressing. Miss Swan is leaning against the car now, and Belle can see that poor fashion choice is something the two women share. She'd say it was genetic, but Snow White dressed better than this back when she was Snow White. Ellena Bouquin, of course, always looks fabulous. A benefit of Regina not knowing she lives, and thus can't offend her with floral fabrics such as those (although the loss of her bibliophilic nature is a hard enough blow as it is, to be honest). Anyway. Miss Blanchard is gone, and Belle has found her keys, so that's really the end of it. It is sort of amusing, however, to watch Miss Swan stare longingly (or at least this is how it appears from such a distance) after the woman she doesn't know is her mother. But the blonde must sense a gaze on her, and Belle is forced to scurry inside, catching a final glimpse of the Saviour's glare as she shuts the Library doors. Oops. At least now the woman knows where to find her, and she can make Rumple proud with her finely tuned meddling skills should the Saviour come to visit.

It's early in the morning on whatever the day of the week it is (she doesn't actually know, but it's not like it is important - the town is still pretty stagnant) that Belle finds herself at the Storybrooke General Hospital. She isn't sick or dying, although she sees that some illnesses have crossed worlds, for the Crown Prince Naveen still seems to have the 'sickness-of-the-skin' that he contracted back in his kingdom of Maldonia after Rumple turned him into a frog. It's some form of cancer in this world, and shows that True Love can't cure everything. Although luckily for him his Princess works as a nurse, and they see each other everyday. Someone walks by with their clipboard, which they drop, and Belle snaps out of her trance. No, she isn't sick or dying, and the curse didn't decide to give her cancer. She just wants to know how healthy she is, and if living in a moldy castle for four years almost thirty years ago has affected her health. She can't imagine that it has. Rumple had a penchant for throwing her in dungeons, but he never let her fall _sick_.

Throughout the day she undergoes a series of tests, some invasive, some not, and just to make sure the results get back to her as quickly as possible she hangs around. It's amusing to watch Doctor Whale snap at his nurses to analyse her blood and whatnot quicker. And quite calming to watch the school children too. They're visiting the hospital and disturbing the patients, but they seem to be enjoying it as well. Belle can just imagine what having a child would be like, with her eyes and Rumple's smile and she hasn't thought about that at all, no she hasn't.

Anyway.

Miss Blanchard, who is, of course, the one who organised the trip, is wandering among her charges, stopping a pair of the more boisterous ones from jabbing at Old Mother Hubbard's (or Joan's) arthritic knees, and shaking a man who may or may not be King Stefan, that has a chronic sleeping sickness to rival that of his currently missing, possibly cursed, daughter Aurora. Belle can spy Henry, however, and he seems to have crept into the room of one 'John Doe', or Prince Charming as he used to be called. Belle watches with heightened interest as Miss Blanchard joins Henry in the same room as her husband, but the two are soon leaving. It is just as the glass door closes that Doctor Whale asks her into his office. After hours of waiting, she'll finally know if she has any deadly diseases from another realm, lying dormant until now.

She doesn't. She's perfectly healthy, save one little thing that Doctor Whale was very sorry to inform her of, that probably came from inheriting the Dark One's Curse. Don't want the most evil being in all the realms to reproduce, after all. It seemed there would be no RumBelle babies except for the imaginary ones. She stood abruptly, possibly interrupting Doctor Whale as he was talking, although she had a feeling he had been silent for quite a while. She thanked him with a nod of the head and a "keep this to yourself", and then she swept out of his office and the hospital with her chin up and her back straight, eyes straight ahead. Henry had found his Grandfather, and that meant she had work to do.

She returned to her Library, completely prepared to distract herself from her disappointment by dreaming of ways to wake up Charming from his coma and throw a stubbly wrench into Regina's plans. She was surprised, as she approached the Library from quite a way down the street, to see that someone was leaning against the doors, waiting for the Library to open. As she got closer, however, the shock faded. If the platinum over-the-shoulder braid and thick, navy turtleneck and shaded jeans were anything to go by, this was Anna Paravel, one of the Library's (very) few regular visitors. The 24 year old would come by most days to check out books on law or politics, to aid with her dream of finally, _finally_ going off to college. _Somebody should tell her she can't leave town_ Belle mused. She fished her keys out of her pocket and the sound alerted the younger woman to the new presence. A half-smile flashed across the pale face, but the ice-blue eyes didn't even twitch. The girl simply stepped out of the way of the keyhole and let Belle open the doors. The two women silently swept inside, Miss Paravel immediately disappearing off to find the sorts of books most would find to daunting to consider. Belle marched right over to the reference desk, dropped her purse on the floor and kicked off her high heels, sighing with relief as her feet were released from the monstrous shoes. _Should not have worn those to the hospital Belle_. She let her head fall onto the desk, and tried to chase her own dark thoughts from her mind.

 

She became aware of the world once more a good half hour later, when she was awoken from her impromptu nap by a voice as clear as crystal calling out to her. "Miss Bouquin? Are you alright?" Belle blinked as her head jerked up in reflex, blinking in response to re-exposure to the light. A few paces before the reference desk was Miss Paravel, clutching her new finds across her chest, with last weeks books piled right next to Belle's head. The blonde blushed under the Librarian's gaze, seemingly embarrassed now that she had her attention. After a few moments of silence in which the brunette attempted to collect her thoughts, Miss Paravel spoke up again. " _Are_ you okay?" Such concern was rarely directed towards her in this town, and Belle's lips curved up a little at the edges to see it.

"I'm fine Miss Paravel; just a little tired." She gestured to the air a little as if to say, 'what else' and only realised it was a Rumplestiltskin-esque gesture after she'd already lowered her hand.

Miss Paravel still looked a little nervous, like she was stuck between escaping the town's monster and being polite, as she was raised to be. "Oh. Well, I'm glad." And wasn't _that_ phrase familiar, Belle thought to herself. "I just wondered, because you usually open the Library in the mornings and then disappear up to your apartment to do... whatever." There was no Rumple-gesture to accompany this, only a blink. Miss Paravel was not one to waste her energy on pointless movements.

"Yes, well, I thought that it would be nice to stay down in the Library for once. And it was." Belle smiled up at the young woman, startling her more than a little. "Did you need my help with something, Miss Paravel?" She asked, motioning to the books pressed against the navy-clad chest.

"Oh, uh, yes please. I just... wanted to check them out. And you don't have to call me 'Miss Paravel'. I'd rather you call me Anna." The thick tomes exchanged arms, and Belle raised her eyebrows at the titles. _Impressive_. She stamped the books and stacked them up on the desk.

"If that's what you would prefer, then I shall call you Anna." The brunette offered a bright smile as she stamped the last book and noted it down to check into the system. "And you can call me Belle." There was a brief pause before she realised her mistake.

Shit. Shitshitshitshit _shit_. A rookie mistake, really, _how_ do you manage to _do_ that? If Regina hears about-

"Elle? Is that short for something?" Anna picked up her books and waited expectantly, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, it's short for Ellena." _Thank the gods she misheard me_.

Anna nodded and opened her mouth to say something else, probably one of the compliments she usually tried to fit into every conversation ("The music you can hear in the Library from your apartment upstairs _is_ really distracting, but you _do_ have really good taste. Could you maybe turn it down?"), when the Library doors opened. Both women instinctively looked, and immediately pulled a face upon seeing the man who entered. Anna quickly scooped up her books and nodded a quiet goodbye, and hurried out the door, dodging the slightly-drunk man slinking in. Belle sighed and prepared herself for an onslaught of flirting from Keith Traval. Knowing that in the Enchanted Forest he had been the Sheriff of Nottingham, and had attempted to purchase her body for twenty minutes, only made her that much more desperate to be rid of him. She put on her angriest face and stood to her full (unimpressive) height, ready to scare him off. Everyone was afraid of the Storybrooke beast.

 

Early the next morning, possibly a Saturday but possibly not, Belle found herself once more at Granny's diner. It seemed that Ellena didn't really bother with groceries all that much, and she hadn't been out to get any yet. She blew on her pancakes in an attempt to cool them down, and tried to scrape the syrup off the rest of her breakfast. Unlike Miss Lucas she did _not_ enjoy it when the sticky substance got on everything else. She glanced up from her booth (which she had been shown to despite being alone) when Miss Swan called out "Thanks for the shirt." She frowned upon seeing the silk blouse. Wasn't that Regina's? Emma asked the same of Henry, who seemed to be under the impression that his mother wouldn't notice. She would definitely notice; the Evil Queen did not like people touching her things. If she had had a sister, one or both of them would have been seriously injured in petty fights every other day if the Mayor's personality was anything to go by. Belle smirked to herself at the thought of someone strutting around in Regina's clothes just to piss her off. 'But it looks _so_ much better on _me_ dear and you know it.' It would be hilarious. She looked down to her breakfast and shook her head. All of this sugar was going to rot her teeth.

She was attacking the pancake and trying to cut it up through the thick syrup when she heard Miss Blanchard say 'He woke up', and Miss Swan respond with 'What?!' She tuned into the conversation, and deduced that they could only be talking about the coma patient, Prince Charming himself. Henry had found a way to woke him up while she was still thinking the situation through. As they left she followed them out the door, something the Saviour noticed as they hurried down the street. 

"Hey, are you following us?"

"I'm very invested in the citizens of this town Miss Swan. If John Doe is waking up, I want to know about it."

The blonde only frowned, but didn't say anymore about it. _Pretty clear she doesn't trust me already. Fantastic._ They reached the Hospital in no time, Belle a little further behind the other three. She caught up in time to hear Sheriff Humbert say 'He's missing' and turn aside to reveal the Mayor. She pursed her lips. The woman would only question her motives for being there; Ellena Bouquin was not the type to about the well being of others. She moved to the edge of the hospital room and glared at the nurses who sought to question her until they glanced away. She could barely hear what was going on, but it was clear the Evil Queen and the Saviour were bickering again. Yep. She had definitely noticed about that shirt. She watched as the Mayor stalked off with her son, and Snow White followed her daughter into the security room, the Sheriff trailing behind. When they came back out Miss Swan found her leaning against the wall.

"We think he may have gone into the woods. Want to join the search party?"

She considered it for a moment before replying. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be much help in that respect Miss Swan, and it's not like I'm dressed for a hike. But please do let me know when you find him. Miss Blanchard has my number I believe; she does enjoy calling to confirm when I'll come by for rent." And then she left. With the Sheriff, the Saviour and Snow White on the trail, Charming would be found in no time at all.

 

The call came the next afternoon, Miss Swan sounding a bit put out over the phone and Miss Lucas' voice sounding in the background. "Have you found him, Miss Swan?"

"Yeah, out by toll bridge. He's mostly fine."

"That's a relief to hear Miss Swan."

"Yeah. Found out who he is too. David Nolan. His wife, Kathryn, heard about his disappearance and came to claim him."

Charming had a wife in this realm? That didn't know he had been in a coma for years? In a town as small as Storybrooke, how did she not already know where he was? A wife?

"That... is very welcome news Miss Swan. I do hope he gets better soon. Thank you for calling."

She hung up and sat back to think about the developments of the last few days. Charming was awake, but Regina had given him a fake wife. How was she supposed to fix this? Without knowing who Kathryn had been in the old world she couldn't attempt to separate them that way, but Snow White had always be determined. Perhaps she'd start an illicit affair with him. _Yeah, like that would ever happen_. She shook her head. There were other things that needed addressing and now that that pesky Charming had been found she could focus on the true issue at hand; why did she remember? The point of learning Emma's name was so that Rumple remembered. If _she_ remembered, did that mean that he didn't?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunn...  
> I feel like a terrible person  
> It will probably get worse  
> 


	7. Secret longing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.

_**Rumplestiltskin** _

He was sat in the diner watching Miss Bouquin stab at her syrupy pancakes for the second day in a row when the little bell above the door rang, and Miss Swan walked in. She chose the table closest to the door, facing the rest of the diner's patrons, and shed her leather jacket and placed it over the back of the chair next to her. Mr Gold watched as the scantily clad wolf-waitress went over to take the blonde's order, the latter woman piking up the abandoned paper on the table. Quickly losing interest in the Saviour now that she wasn't actually doing anything, he turned his attention back to Miss Bouquin in her usual booth. He tapped his cane against the table leg as she attempted to save her pancakes from drowning, and noted how she watched Miss Swan out of the corner of her eye. He wondered why, it wasn't like she was doing anything for the young Librarian to be interested in. But the young Dark One was another matter entirely... but the chances of her remembering herself at such an early stage were so minuscule it wasn't even worth considering, and certainly not worth getting his hopes up for.

Then he saw Regina come in from the corner of his eye, Miss Bouquin almost losing her grip on her fork as the Mayor joined Miss Swan at her table. That was definitely questionable; why would Ellena be afraid of her? He watched the brunette for a moment, eyes racing over her features as they always did, before his attention joined hers at the table the door.

It was more than clear that tensions were only rising between the two women, Miss Swan's face showing irritation and upset as the Mayor leaned in to no doubt throw another insult. Then the brunette was up and out of the door and the blonde stood a moment later, perhaps to follow. Mr Gold stood as well, ready to approach Miss Swan and introduce himself. Then Miss Lucas was dashing over with a dishcloth, ready to rescue the ratty grey blouse Miss Swan had just ruined with her cocoa. _And this woman is our Saviour_ he thought to himself. Since the young princess was off to the laundry room, and he could hardly follow her in there, he simply threw down enough bills to cover his half-eaten meal and stalked out, acting as though that had been his plan all along. He should have stayed seated, so he could watch Miss Bouquin finish her breakfast.

 

His day was spent in his shop, fixing up the spinning wheel that used to reside in the Dark Castle's Great Hall, and trying to figure out where all the lumpy wool in his spinning basket came from. He re-organised the shop some, hanging Miss Swan's mobile in pride of place and untangling the hair of Gepetto's marionette parents. All in all it was a pretty uneventful day; the Mayor had no complaints, Miss Bouquin didn't need the rent, and Miss Swan hadn't figured out where his shop was just yet. The dull, everyday quality ended after he closed up and walked to his old Cadillac across the street. An odd feeling danced up his spine, like the shivers he'd get back in the Enchanted Forest before he had a vision. He closed his eyes as he waited for the feeling of vertigo to pass, leaning heavily on his cane and kneading his temple. All was dark behind his eyelids before an image flashed briefly in his mind. _Someone, in his shop... at the safe?... and turning. Miss Boyd? No, Cinderella..._

All was dark again as he jerked to attention, his spine ramrod straight and a sense of urgency tingling at the back of his skull. He turned back to his shop, just in case, to see someone dart into his shop, the door gently swinging in the light breeze. He abruptly turned, spinning smartly on his heels, and returned to the pawnshop. Miss Boyd was no doubt after the contract, the result of Cinderella's dealings with him and Belle back in the Old World. Although in this realm 'Ellena' was the shady character, Gold was still the master deal-maker, and he drew up her most malicious contracts.

He slipped in the door, thankful that, for once, his little bell did not cry out. He stepped lightly into the middle of the shop and watched as Miss Boyd immediately reached for the middle portrait on the wall, where his safe was hidden. He positioned himself so he would be as intimidating as possible (old habits die hard, he supposed), and then made his presence known.

"Ashley. What are you doing?" He circled around towards her slowly, more than aware of his old war injury. For a moment the young woman glared at him, hatred evident in her cool blue eyes, and he saw her move her hand discretely in front of her body, rotating what it held. He suddenly had a _very_ bad feeling. "Changing my life." The bad feeling was a good one, so to speak. Miss Boyd raised her weapon and pepper-sprayed him directly in the face. He stumbled back in shock and agony losing his grip on his cane, and collided with the display behind him, breaking several things and knocking others over. Hands to his face he rebounded off the cabinets and fell forwards, hitting his head off a sharp corner on his way down. Before he lost consciousness he lamented the disruption of his chessboard; for almost thirty years it had been frozen in play, waiting for the Dark One and her master to sit and play once more.

 

He was awoken hours later, how many he did not know, to a harsh stream of light cutting through the air and landing right in his eyes. He sat up, slowly, hand pressed to his head, to find himself lying upon the cold, unforgiving floor of his shop. _Well that explains the crick in my back_. Miss Boyd would certainly not be winning any 'Concerned Citizen of the Year' awards. He encountered a lump on his head and pressed a little harder; the return of last night's vertigo and a small trickle of blood told him that had been a very bad idea. He tried to push himself to his feet and failed, then shuffled over to his cane and tried again. Upon standing he picked up all he had knocked over, then painstakingly reset the chessboard as it had been before he sent half the pieces crashing to the floor. The game would continue when Belle had her memory back, assuming her feelings of hatred had not returned.

When the pawnshop was set to rights and he had figured out the best way to conceal his cut with his hair, so easy to maintain in this realm with all of these (manly) bath products, he set off for Miss Blanchard's apartment. Word on the street (so, word in Granny's Diner, according to one Miss Lucas who could _not_ stop going on about it yesterday) was that Miss Swan was now staying there. He wondered if it went against the schoolteacher's rent agreement, and hoped Miss Bouquin wouldn't throw her out if it was. He knocked on the door rather impatiently when he arrived, uncomfortable in such a shabby building, and was glad when it was opened almost immediately.

"Miss Blanchard. Is Miss Swan here?" The brunette could only stare at him in surprise, but it didn't take long for a hand to pull the door open a little wider. The blonde stepped into the new space, and he offered his hand to the prophesied Saviour.  
"Miss Swan. We meet at last. I'm Mr Gold."  
"Yeah. So I've heard."  
"Good." So nice to make an impression. "I've got a proposition for you Miss Swan. And I need your help. I'm looking for someone." Miss Blanchard only seemed more surprised, and she tilted her head back to accommodate her shock.  
"Really? Uh..." Both of their gazes turned to the apartment's owner, still stood at the door, and the once-fearless queen made an excuse and scurried away. He watched her go, then turned back to her daughter.  
"I have a photo." He passed it over, and for the next few minutes he worked on steadily bringing Miss Swan over to his side, acting concerned about his 'property'. He was disgusted with himself for referring to a child in such a manner, but 'Mr Gold' was not exactly known for being pleasant. He showed off his latest wound, and Miss Swan was his. She would find the young princess, he would get the child, and then he could work on placing it in a loving home. Preferably one where the parent/s would not dismiss it, since they 'could always have more children.' As their conversation came to a close, the door opened, and young Master Mills came in. He greeted the boy, but the conversation was strained. He closed the door on his way out.

 

The rest of his morning was, once again, depressingly uneventful. Most of it was spent discretely cleaning the windows of the shop (which he may have done the day before yesterday) and watching Miss Bouquin come and go from the Library. Miss Paravel (who he didn't recognize) entered the old building pretty early on and probably wouldn't leave until the evening, Ms Duzeem (who he didn't recognize) following soon after. Miss Bouquin left the Library at around noon, probably to head to Granny's, and presumably left Miss Paravel in charge. She ran into Dolores Boyd (who he, unfortunately, _did_ recognize) on her way down the sidewalk, and after the woman passed her she did a double take and stopped, turning back to watch her rush off. The Scotsman leaned closer to the store's window to see if he could decipher her expression, but Miss Bouquin was too far away. All he saw was a hand briefly brushing across a stomach before she continued on her way, a plan no doubt forming in her mind to tackle whatever was concerning her. A wave of dizziness hit him, and his head hit the cool glass as another vision hit him. He could see this becoming very inconvenient. _His Belle stood alone in a white room... he approaches her... is it the Hospital? he says something... it makes her shoulders droop... he thinks she might be about to cry... she leaves..._ He stood to attention once more, wondering what he was going to say to make his love cry as an eyesore of a yellow VW bug passed the shop.

 

Some time later, when he just happened to be hanging around near the window, the bug passed back the other way, and he could see Miss (Ashley) Boyd in the passenger seat. He set off to the Hospital almost immediately after it, barely registering Miss Bouquin passing him by in her blue mini cooper. He arrived at the Hospital rather quickly, and passed by Miss Bouquin once inside, who was talking with Doctor Whale. She noticed him as he continued down the hallways, and jogged to catch up with him. "Good afternoon Miss Bouquin."  
She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Mr Gold."  
He closed his eyes briefly at her words, her voice and accent washing over him. This was the first time they had spoken since he had awoken.  
"What brings you to the Hospital, dearie? Not sick are we?" He asked with concern, stopping just outside the Hospital waiting room, where he could see Miss Swan and her boy talking to each other.  
"I'm here regarding our deal with Miss Boyd, actually."  
"Ah. So am I. But you've never been that bothered about it before. Why now?"  
She hesitated, watching as a nurse approached the Saviour. "I learned, recently, that I cannot have children; an unfortunate side effect of an... illness I contracted several years ago. Remembering Miss Boyd's deal gave me hope that all was not lost." She gave him her full attention then, her bright blue eyes piercing right into him, but he was rendered speechless. He had quite forgotten that the Dark One's Curse did not allow for children. She turned away from him, after a moment, the conversation clearly over, and he approached Miss Swan slowly. Throughout the day he had been waiting for Miss Swan to take on the price of Miss Boyd's deal herself; now he was desperately praying such a thing would not occur to her.

Unfortunately, their debate at the coffee machine resulted showed that Miss Swan was not going to back down. Miss Bouquin was not going to get the baby, and Miss Swan now owed him a favour. Once again his own son came above his Belle's happiness; guilt washed over him as he shook hands with the blonde, and as she and her son went to visit the new mother, he turned to Miss Bouquin, who was waiting on the sidelines. He knew she'd heard everything. "I'm terribly sorry Miss Bouquin. It seems Miss Boyd will be keeping her daughter."  
She blinked at him. "It was a girl?" He could see the tears building before she turned away, and he tilted his head back to gaze at the ceiling. Another vision come true. He should have felt one step closer to his son, but instead he felt one step further from his love.

When he reached the parking lot ten minutes later, the blue mini was still there, and he could see a mess of curls resting against the steering wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It got worse.  
> Oops.


	8. Crickets in the darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normal disclaimer applies.  
> I gave Belle friends. Life is good.

_**Belle** _

Life was fraught with disappointment. Belle knew that. She'd never been able to know her mother. As a Duke's daughter, her fascination with books had been frowned upon. As a noble in a time of war, and a woman to boot, she would have to marry whoever her father chose for her. And she would never have children of her own. To be honest, that last one had been something that she had never expected. For the entirety of her teen years, in the Enchanted Forest at least, she had been told that one day she would marry a noble man, and she would bare him noble sons. She would watch over his household, and turn a blind eye to his mistresses. That was the life marked out for her. Being told she would never have children was hard, and being told that the only chance she may ever get at having a child wasn't going to happen was just as painful. With Cinderella's, or Ashley Boyd's, baby, people would disapprove but be unable to take her happiness away. But after the curse was broken by the Saviour, no-one in their right mind would hand over a baby to the Dark One, and no-one outside Storybrooke would allow a single woman living in a tiny apartment on a Librarian's salary (with some less than legal money coming in on the side) to adopt a child. So once again, Belle was disappointed; in herself, for getting her hopes up, and in the Saviour for crushing those hopes. For a woman destined to 'bring back the happy endings', she wasn't really doing that well. But then again, maybe that was only for the good guys.

Belle sighed, drawing the attention of Anna who was sat at a table across the Library, surrounded by a mountain of books. "Ellena, are you alright?"  
"I'm fine, thank you Anna. But I think I might go for a walk. Will you watch the Library while I'm gone?" The brunette stood up as she asked her question, slipping on her heels to head out for the second time that day.  
"Of course. I'll make sure nothing happens." The blonde gave a distracted smile, but was back to her book within seconds.  
Belle rolled her eyes. If anything big happened, Anna probably wouldn't notice unless it was really loud. She collected her purse and made for the door, wishing she could talk to Rumple but knowing 'Mr Gold' would not understand. So she'd go to the only other person in town who knew she wasn't immoral like everybody believed; someone she had known in the Old World. She pushed open the doors and stepped out of the way of a flash of red hair, probably Ms Duzeem back for more books on caring for pregnant cats. _Oh well. Anna knows how to work the Reference Desk. Let her take care of it._

Belle arrived at _Spinning Yarns_ a quarter hour later, just as one of the few other redheads in town was leaving in a flurry of skirts and patterns that belonged on drapes, not clothes. _That was Giselle_ , the Librarian thought as she watched her skip off down the street. _She worked as a dressmaker for my father before her fiance Edward was called off to war on their wedding day. I didn't see again her after that._ She entered the store, still caught up in her thoughts, and so was surprised when strong arms enveloped her in a warm hug. She snapped out of it and returned the embrace, releasing the other body to find herself face to face with Irene, the owner of the store. She immediately smiled, glad to see a familiar face that actually recognized her back.  
"Ellena, dear, it's been so long since I last saw you! And so much has been going on too!"

 

"Did you hear? That coma patient that's been under for years finally woke up! Went right out the doors I heard." Irene was sat at across the room from Belle, carding wool to prepare it for dyeing. Belle herself was sat at the old woman's spinning wheel, one she recognized from the Old World, glad to be able to practice a skill she had once been so desperate to learn.  
"Yes I did hear. I happened to be at the Hospital when the Sheriff began his investigation, and I've seen him since. He seems very..." She hesitated, wondering how wise it was to try to trigger memories. Irene attempted to end the sentence for her.  
"...Handsome, perhaps?" She gave a pointed look, and Belle rolled her eyes.  
"I was going to say _familiar_. I really feel like I've seen him before."  
"Well then perhaps you have dear. This is a small town after all."  
"Hmm."  
"Oh, and did you hear about young Ashley? Miss Lucas told me that her and that boy of hers chose to keep the little angel." The shop-owner set the carded wool aside and picked up another handful as Belle struggled to respond.  
Eventually she forced out "Yes... I... I did.", but she was ashamed to hear her voice crack.

She watched her hands shake as she tried to pull the wool across the wheel, but she stopped as she felt those warm arms surround her again. And everything came tumbling out, all the news and pain of the last few weeks, of the last day. Irene just held her as she had after the first wedding of Snow and Charming; tight, pouring all of the emotion possible into it. The brunette's shoulders shook as she leaned on the other woman for support, and for a moment she thought the lack of stability she was experiencing was due to that. But then things started to fall off the shelves, and Irene was griping her tight with fear. And over it all she could hear the most terrible sound; ogres approaching, crushing everything in their way, crushing bones, buildings, everything and everyone. She pressed her eyes closed and hunched over, terror gripping her soul, (a small darkness that welcomed the destruction), before she vaguely heard Irene's voice in her ear.  
"Is that an earthquake?"  
Belle unfolded from her fear and looked around. "Yes, I think it was." She stood up, noticing it was dark. "I wonder what happened?" _Is it related to the curse? Has the 'Saviour' finally done something of use?_  
"Do you think we're safe, dear?" Irene sounded concerned, as it was logical for her to be.  
"There might be aftershocks, but I think we'll be okay. We should probably start to clear some of this up."  
The two surveyed the mess around them; wool scattered across the floor; broken shelves; the spinning wheel on its side, spokes broken. And they got to work.

 

Giselle came dashing back in about a half hour after the quake, brimming with news Miss Lucas was providing her with. She spilled everything to Irene as Belle finished reorganizing disrupted products in the back room. As soon as the Librarian walked out, however, the atmosphere changed.  
"Oh. Miss Bouquin. I didn't know that you were still here."  
"Yes. I am. Hello Miss..." Belle hesitated. She had absolutely _no_ idea what her old friend was called in this world. She pursed her lips as Irene looked between the two of them, startled.  
"It's Carmen. Felicity Carmen. I wouldn't expect you to know my name. I mean, it's not like you own my apartment building or anything." _Oh, yes. She lives on the same floor as Miss Blanchard_. "Irene, it was good talking with you. Miss Bouquin."  
And then with a harsh nod and a flurry of curtain-dresses, Giselle-Miss Carmen- was once again gone. Irene stood shell-shocked for a moment, then brushed the tension off.  
"Well. I do believe it's time for you to get back to your Library."  
After a moment of silence Belle's eyes widened and she dashed from the store down the street without a single word of farewell, just an "Oh gods, my Library!" before she was gone. Irene smiled fondly, and locked up her store. Perhaps she could call Marco tomorrow, and ask him to fix her spinning wheel. He was such a lovely man.

 

Belle burst through the doors not five minutes after she left _Spinning Yarns_ , dismayed to find her precious Library in ruins. _It looks like my other one did in the Dark Castle after Rumple tore it to shreds_. She wished she could fix this one with her magic. A cursory glance around the room showed covers separate from their contents, pages all over the place and bookshelves mostly empty. The brunette bent down to pick up the book closest to her, _The Book Thief_. She gently ran her hand along the bent cover and sighed.  
"Wow. I didn't know you cared so much about the Library, Bouquin."  
"Adina! Shush!" Blue eyes raised to find not only Miss Paravel still in her Library, but also Ms Duzeem. The platinum blonde was currently attempting to silence the redhead with subtle hand gestures, but eventually turned to Belle. "We're sorry for not sorting out all the books Ellena-"  
"-Ellena?" A subtle hint of jealousy.  
"But we didn't know where they went. I don't really know how the system works. Sorry."  
"That's okay. Are you both alright?" Belle gestured to Ms Duzeem, who had an impressive bruise flowering on her forehead.  
"Oh, yes. Adina protected me from a bookshelf that was about to fall on me." Anna beamed, and Belle was shocked when she turned it to the redhead beside her and actually touched Ms Duzeem's arm. The blonde was not one for physical contact. But then the other woman smiled in reply, and Belle was even more baffled. The redhead was not one for smiles. She glanced between the two, even as they offered their help to clean up the rest of the Library, which she declined. They walked to the door together, Ms Duzeem holding it open for the other and receiving an enormous blush in return. It seemed to Belle that a mutual crush was forming between the two women, and she grinned. Surely matchmaking would come to no harm? With the Saviour here, happy endings should be on their way; if they were developing feelings now, it meant that were good for one another. But she put her dreams of being cupid aside for a moment. The Library was in shambles, and that just _wouldn't_ do.

 

Early the next afternoon, as Belle was meditating on her apartment stairs, away from prying eyes as she attempted to reign in a familiar darkness, the Library doors slammed open with a loud bang. Her eyes flew open, and the brunette leaped to her feet to see what was wrong. Was Anna having another panic attack, was Mrs Berrin's husband making her feel threatened again, was... possibilities ran through her mind, but the result was quite disappointing. Young Henry Mills was rifling through the shelves, hair tousled and bag threatening to fall from his shoulders. Belle approached him but he didn't seem to notice, absorbed as he was in the book on - she leaned forwards a little to catch the title - mine ventilation and air conditioning. She frowned. At breakfast Miss Lucas had gone on in detail about the mine collapse that had caused last night's earthquake, a spiel she barely managed to catch, distracted as she was by Rumple's... Mr Gold's eyes on her. Surely Henry didn't want to go down there?  
"Oh! Uh... Hi, Miss Bouquin." She was snapped out of her thoughts by the boy's sheepish voice as she shoved the book back on the shelf. A guilty expression covered his face as he edged back towards the entrance.  
"What are you doing Henry?" She probed, wondering if she could talk him out of his plan.  
"Nothing, just... looking for proof. For Operation Cobra." And then he was gone.  
Belle followed him out the door, watching as he dashed down the street. She headed back in the public building as she pulled out her cell phone, punching in the numbers 'nine' and 'one'. Word was (according to Miss Lucas) Miss Swan had accepted position of Sheriff's Deputy. Belle could tell her what her son was up to. But her thumb was hovering over the '1' button, and she found herself physically unable to press it. Bile built up in her throat as she stumbled towards the bookshelf, trying to force back the thoughts the Dark One within her was having. _...and the boy will be your undoing..._

When Belle regained consciousness she was on her knees with her forehead pressed to the carpeted floor. She glanced around herself, confused. _What am I doing down here?_ She stood up and brushed herself off, then stooped to pick up her phone, which had a random selection of numbers punched in. She cleared them. Noticing a book was out of place she re-shelved it, and tried to think back on how she ended up on the floor. All she could remember was Henry dashing in and dashing out, yelling something about Operation Cobra. _Perhaps that is his plan to break the curse?_ He had looked like he had been crying..? She dismissed her worries. All was well, surely. And she got back to work.

 

Hours later Anna came in talking about the misfortune of the Mayor, that her son was missing in the dangerous mine-shaft, and Belle remembered what the Dark One's curse had made her forget.

 

The two arrived at the site of the collapse about a half-hour later, receiving cold stares from the other onlookers. It was bad luck to have both the town monster _and_ the town ice queen in the same place. Belle was sure it didn't help that the town bitch was there too, but she supposed the Mayor had a right to be concerned about her son. Just as they walked up to the yellow police tape the ground shook once more, and a plume of smoke shot up from the covered entrance. The Mayor and the Deputy approached one another, and one of their (already infamous) shouting matches began. But after a tense moment the two seemed to team up. A few minutes later everyone was huddled behind the tape, and the explosives now placed among the debris were blown up. But Belle knew it probably wouldn't work. The mines collapsed because a part of the curse was breaking; that part needed to 'finish' before anything good could come of it. The Saviour had to do something. The blonde in question came dashing back out of the ensuing smoke to say that it had not worked at all. She turned away as the Mayor started yelling again, rolling her eyes and finding Anna focused not on the scene the dark brunette was making, but rather on the dalmatian cooped up the old fire engine. The blonde looked to Belle and they raised their eyebrows at each other, then turned to face the little huddle of people around the irate Evil Queen. The Deputy happened to glance at them a few seconds later, and Belle tilted her head towards the dog. After a brief moment of confusion Deputy Swan seemed to get the message, and ran to release the dog from his impromptu cage. He immediately started the sniff along the ground, and after about half a minute the Sheriff lifted a metal cover away from the ground.

Tensions only rose over the next half an hour as plans were drawn and the Saviour attached herself to the harness the Fire Department provided, and went down the air shaft the metal cover had revealed. Minutes after that the blonde came up not only with the young boy, but also with the therapist. His adoptive mother immediately embraced him, and breaths of relief and enthusiastic clapping raced around the group. Belle turned with Anna back towards her little blue mini, glad that the moment of weakness her curse had given her had not ended in catastrophe. A brief glance back showed Dr Hopper and the Mayor in a tense confrontation, and the Librarian could only hope he was giving her a piece of his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't think she likes her curse very much.  
> Published a one-shot (because I can't stay focused) about Regina and her experiences with Queen Eva's name. Check it out if you'd like :)
> 
> Also, should I make the paragraphs shorter? They seem long to me.


	9. Slow progress

_**Rumplestiltskin** _

He could tell that the curse was breaking; as its creator he could feel every little crack as it formed. Unfortunately, these cracks were formed only on the surface. The Saviour did not believe, and did not have enough influence in the town. But for now what she was doing was enough. She had returned small parts of Cinderella, her Prince, and Jiminy Cricket to themselves. And her presence had allowed Mary Margaret to wake up the Saviour's own father, not that he had any clue who he was, or wasn't. That night, in fact, Mr David Nolan was returning home, released from the Hospital at last. His wife, once Princess Abigail of 'The Kingdom of the Flowing Gold', had very foolishly thrown a 'welcome home' party, and Mr Gold had very foolishly been invited. The Dark Curse had recognized his Belle as the darkest presence and so made her the town monster (she wasn't invited to that night's party), but that didn't exactly mean that Mr Gold was a pleasant man. He had hoped being free from the Dagger's Curse would free him from all remains of darkness, but it seemed holding on to the damned thing only encouraged the tattered remains of the darkness that had once inhabited his mind to cling on. It would, after all, benefit the dagger to have two hosts.

Mr Gold had to stop considering the Dagger when 'Prince Charming' himself, or rather his shell, walked in. He seemed rather confused, and beyond uncomfortable with the sea of faces he was presented with. His wife chose to introduce him to them all anyway, and the poor man was shaking hand after hand and no doubt not remembering anyone's identities at all. He watched from across the room as the man awkwardly excused himself from a conversation with Doctor Whale, and approached the newly appointed Deputy Swan instead, who was talking with her son. His eye trailed the wife, 'Kathryn Nolan', as she departed to the kitchen to fuss about with the foodstuffs some more. He grimaced as Regina joined her, no doubt trying to stop her beloved curse from falling apart. _Well it won't work dearie. It will only be a matter of time before all my hard work comes crashing down around your ears._ He smirked to himself, and hid the expression behind his wine glass as he got a glare from Mrs Ginger.

He glanced around once more, desperate to find something to amuse himself with. He honed in on an elderly woman knitting in a far corner, and grinned a the irony that Charming's own mother was there, and no-one in the room, no-one in the town in fact, knew that they were family. And there was the redhead that frequented the Library, who he could identify as Zelena now that he had a clear view of her face. No-one in town knew that she and the Mayor were related as well. _Probably for the best._ He was rather shocked she hadn't approached him yet. According to his curse memories, Ms Duzeem would flirt relentlessly with him whenever she got the chance. Perhaps she had found someone who actually welcomed her attention and affections? _Not bloody likely_ , he thought to himself, scoffing and attracting the attention of other attendees with the sound. He barked out another obnoxious sound as he heard, to his left, Kathryn call Regina her friend. Then the blonde left the kitchen, no doubt in search of the husband that had left to find his _real_ wife not five minutes before.

 

The next morning dawned depressingly bright, something which he did not appreciate considering his forgetting to close the drapes in the master bedroom the night before. He awoke to a beam of light attempting to blind him, and once more prepared himself for a day of agonizing pain walking around on his shattered leg. It was especially irritating since he knew Belle had healed his wound; he supposed the universe just wanted to spite him. But he would put up with it, if it brought him that much closer to his son. His day was vastly brightened as it was, when he arrived at the Diner. Although it was amusing to watch Whale flirt with Miss Blanchard (again), his joy came in the form of one Miss Bouquin (although the hush that spread when she walked through the door showed that joy was not shared by the other patrons), who had come to no doubt suffer through over-syruped pancakes once more. As they did everyday they breakfasted at the same time, her eyes immediately scanned the diner and settled on his. There was a brief, wistful expression before she took a seat in her booth, facing away from the door, and then she would join him in watching the other customers bicker, drool, and study Miss Lucas.

Eyebrows raised for both of them as the Mayor stalked in, and Belle... Ellena seemed equally shocked that she went straight to Miss Blanchard's table. The heated discussion wasn't exactly quiet; he caught every word from his booth in the far corner, and had a strong feeling that Miss Bouquin did too. He almost choked on his coffee when he overheard the Mayor say that Nolan had left his wife - this was an unexpected development.

 

It was late evening, perhaps eight, if that, before he could do something about it. Although it would no doubt be of use to have Charming on his side, Rumplestiltskin knew that the fool would struggle to keep his mouth shut. The good Prince would be in too much of a hurry to be with his wife and his daughter to follow a reasonable plan to break the Curse. So memories would have to be jogged. The man walked in at eight-ish, for once unable to find his love, having been given directions by the delightful Mayor. It wasn't hard to direct his attention from the mobile to the windmill by the door. He could almost see the moment his eyes fogged over with new memories, even though the man's back was turned. He gave a half-hearted smile as his plan was a success. Snow and Charming would not be reunited anytime soon. The man did not say another word past 'I remember' as he stumbled out of the door.

As he was driving home in his old Cadillac he saw Deputy Swan returning to Miss Blanchard's apartment, later than he was sure she usually did. Either it was a walk of shame, or she had at last learned of the poor Huntsman's dalliance with the Queen. Not minutes later he also saw Miss Blanchard herself, stopped at a red light in a car with the notorious Doctor Whale. He raised his eyebrows. That was an unexpected development as well.


	10. A lonely heart, and a lonely hunter

_**Belle** _

Sometimes, a late night walk around Storybrooke could calm Belle so much it felt like nothing was wrong; it seemed that being outside calmed her darkness as much as it had in the Enchanted Forest. She basked in the peace and quiet, admiring the gentle water of the docks, greeting Pongo on his walk, and watching Miss Gans attempt to capture the park's waterfowl on her canvas. She was approaching her Library once more when the blissful silence was broken:  
"If you don't care, why are you so upset?"  
"I'm not upset!"  
"If you were..."  
The rest of the conversation faded out of earshot, but Belle turned a corner and found the entirety of Storybrooke's law enforcement unit (all two of them) arguing outside Worthington's Haberdashery, the shop where Giselle worked. She grimaced as the two continued down the street, approaching where she was stood right outside the Library door. She twisted the key again, attempting to get inside but failing. They had stopped just at the edge of the road when she turned, and she caught the moment the Sheriff lunged forwards and caught his Deputy in a kiss. After half a moment she shoved him away, and the brunette could only stare in shock as the argument continued. Then the Deputy stalked off, and Sheriff Humbert was left alone in the middle of the street. The Library doors finally fell open under her weight, and Belle tumbled inside.

 

She was awoken hours later by snuffling at her door that she heard through her open window, and she fell out of her bed and stumbled over to her cluttered bookcase, mostly filled with books pilfered from the Library. She reached her hand behind a particularly thick book, the entire works of J. R. R. Tolkien, and gently drew out a small pistol. She silently moved down her stairs and glanced around the darkened Library searching for the intruder. At finding none she unlocked and opened the door slowly, shocked to find a great white wolf standing outside. It lowered its head to her, _a bow?_ , and then wandered inside. Belle followed, planning to shoo it outside (or shoot it), but it went right up the stairs to her apartment, through to her bedroom and leaped up to settle at the foot of her bed. The brunette frowned at the odd behavior, and reached her hand out to the top of the wolfs head. When it didn't react she gave it a light scratch, and then knelt down to look it in the eyes. _Oh. It has heterochromia_.  
"Hey, wolf?" It blinked at her. "Are you... from the Enchanted Forest?" It licked her hand. "I'll take that as a yes." Hoping the creature was as tame as it appeared, and that it would not attack her in the night (could she die in this realm?), Belle gently inserted herself under the covers, and slowly fell back to sleep. She awoke to a heavy weight on the chest, and the wolf's fur invading her nose.

After letting the young wolf out for a run (a male wolf he was, which she learned when he rolled on his back so she would rub his belly), Belle washed up and set off for Granny's Diner, wondering if she would ever see the animal again. Leaving Granny's hours later after another staring contest with Mr Gold, this time over lunch, Belle was headed to the Library once more when she came across the Sheriff looking distressed and heading towards Mifflin Street. He had an odd look in his eye, a familiar sort of clarity that she couldn't quite place. She watched him go, but went back to work all the same. But less than an hour later she saw him dash back past the Library, with the Saviour in tow. They were both following the white wolf from earlier. She followed the two... three as discretely as she could, hesitating when they arrived at the cemetery. She watched as they went inside Regina's family tomb, worry increasing as the Mayor herself appeared. The Queen and the Sheriff began what seemed to be an emotionally charged conversation, and after a moment the Queen turned on the Saviour... and punched her square in the face. The blonde fell to the floor, and Belle smirked when the woman immediately leaped up and struck back. _Serves you right, you witch_. Swan and Humbert left together, but Belle and Regina remained, the latter entering the tomb at last.

Belle turned to leave after the door closed, but just as she reached the wrought iron fence at the edge of the graveyard, she felt a great sense of foreboding. She knew she was still connected to the curse, the way she had been when Rumple had needed instant updates on Snow and Charming. Was something happening? She leaned forwards, hands on her knees as she attempted to regain her breath. Then a cold, wet something hit her hand, and she found herself face to face with the red-eyed wolf. It raised its head and howled at the moon, and she knew she had been right; something was wrong. She turned immediately and ran back into the heart of the cemetery, her tall heels getting caught in loose dirt before she abandoned them all together, leaving them beside a grave. The wolf beat her to the tomb, and Belle glanced at his fur covered face before she reached out a hand and pushed open the door. Before it was even fully open the wolf was gone, into the tomb and down the secret staircase the great stone coffin inside seemed to conceal. _What?_ Belle snuck after the creature, making it halfway down the stairs before she saw the beast, hackles raised, facing a beast of a different kind. There, not fifteen paces away was the Mayor, the Evil Queen, with a throbbing red mass in her hand. _Is that... a heart? Whose heart is that?_

She didn't have time to consider her own question. With a low growl the wolf leaped, and with a gasp the Mayor dropped the heart to better defend herself. As the two bodies collided they fell into a mass of boxes, one hitting the dark woman on the head. Belle saw her chance, and darted down the stone steps to grab the heart before Regina gathered her wits and fought back. After a brief stumble the glowing heart was in Belle's hand, and with a shrill whistle to her partner in crime (was it a crime?) she dashed back up the stairs as fast as her short legs would allow. And then she was racing the great white wolf out of the graveyard and across town, shoe-less feet beating hard against the unforgiving concrete. Several times Belle paused to regain breath, getting less than a moment before the wolf had turned back to hurry her onward. They got back to the Library as fast as they could, and it felt like both long hours and mere seconds to the exhausted woman.

But even the sirens sounding outside the Sheriff's station couldn't drown out Regina's parting words still running through Belle's head.

"You're going to pay for interfering, peasant! I'm going to find you, and then I'm going to destroy you!"

The brunette collapsed against the Library doors, ending up on her knees with the wolfs head in her lap as he panted. She gently raised the beating heart in her palms; she would find out who it belonged to, and then find out how to return it to its owner. She fell asleep like that, even though the night had barely begun; with a wolf leaning on her, a live heart in her hands, sirens in the background, and desperate sobbing in the street.


	11. Desperate Souls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so late guys :( I've been so ill recently I just haven't been able to do anything. Hopefully by next week I will be better :)

_**Rumplestiltskin** _

When word got out, through Miss Lucas (as usual), that the esteemed Sheriff was in a coma at the Hospital with heart problems, the entire town was shocked. The man was, after-all, only 29. Rumplestiltskin was shocked for different reasons though; it was clear to him that over those last few days before something big had been going on - it must have been The Huntsman regaining his memories in some way. He was shocked because Regina would need to put a stop to this, and her go to reaction for things she didn't like was destruction. So why was the poor Sheriff in a coma and not dead? Mr Gold could only assume that someone had intervened, but who? Who in Storybrooke remembered, and still had the guts to oppose Regina? Whoever it was now surely held the Huntsman's heart, but Gold knew they couldn't put it back without magic, which the town sorely lacked.

That had all happened two weeks ago, however, and now Mr Gold was waiting for the Saviour to decide that it was time for her to take up the position of town Sheriff. He knew, of course, that Regina was going to select someone to run against the blonde; that just meant that the latter would have to turn to him to help, which he would be more than glad to offer. She arrived sooner than he thought she would, although it seemed the Mayor had not presented her with a challenge yet; she probably wasn't even aware the Sheriff's position was hers. She came into his shop whilst her was treating some old fabric with lanolin, and he was reminded that he was the one to call her there. Since the Sheriff was in the hospital and could no longer pay his rent, all of his things had been moved. Miss Bouquin had most of them, since she was the landlady, but several boxes she had delivered to Gold, since she didn't want them. The only things of interest Gold had were a pair of old walkie-talkies, which he was sure the Sheriff wouldn't mind giving up.

Gold led Miss Swan, who seemed to be suffering under the heavy smell of the lanolin, to the front of the shop to give them to her. Before he went through the door though, he expressed his condolences, and put the 'Sheriff' idea in her mind.  
"You're still wearing the Deputy's badge." The blonde looked down at the metal as she ran her fingers over it, and Gold knew that having her new love interest hospitalised had hit the Saviour hard. "Well he's been in the hospital for two weeks now, and I believe that after two weeks of acting as Sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the badge."  
"Yes, well... I'm just not in a hurry. He could wake up any day now..." It was clear that Miss Swan wasn't really convinced by her own expression of hope. "So thank-you for the kind words."  
He followed her through the old curtains at the back of his store, Dark Castle originals, and called out "I have some of his things." Swan turned.  
"What?"  
"Well he rented an apartment that Miss Bouquin owns, and she dropped off a few old things she knew he'd been meaning to get rid of. Another reason for my call. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."  
"I don't need anything.."  
"Of course... I suppose I'll just give them to Mayor Mills. She does seem to be the closest thing he had to family."  
"I'm not sure about that." His low blow worked, and the blonde sauntered back over.  
"No love lost there I see. I have his jacket. Or your boy might like these. You could play together." Gold gently set the two walkie-talkies he had pulled from the box onto the glass counter-top. The Deputy tried to refuse, and without even meaning to he spoke over her.  
"No, please, they... They grow up so fast."  
She hesitantly picked them up with a "thanks."  
"You enjoy these with your boy. Your time together is precious, you know. That's the thing about children; before you know it, you lose them."  
The Scotsman stared into space as Miss Swan awkwardly frowned and nodded and made to leave, before turning back to grab the jacket she had initially refused, as well as Humbert's old work boots. He barely noticed as she took the whole box, however, and didn't register the little bell as it rang above his door. He just let the memories of his Baelfire wash over him: when they came for Morraine, when they took Bae, when he became the Dark One. When he let go of his son's hand. One day he would see his son again - one day he would make it all up to him.

-

When Gold heard that Miss Swan had been fired that same afternoon and he still hadn't seen her by evening, he realised with a roll of his eyes that he was probably going to have to actually prompt her into action. So he went over to Miss Blanchard's apartment to discuss the position of Sheriff with the blonde. After the mousy schoolteacher cleared off to do... whatever, Gold sat down with the Saviour at the main table to discuss the town charter. And the next day, when the lovely Mayor was doing a delightful interview as she appointed her old mirror as Sheriff, Miss Swan barged in and put a stop to the whole business. Partly. An election was now set to take place.

Of course when things went wrong the Mayor turned to him, as though he would ever help her after what she tried to do to his Belle. After she ignored his quip on the size of her rage (and her ego), the tensions in his little pawnshop only grew. And whilst the so called 'Evil Queen' realised that she wasn't the only one in town with power, she would be more hesitant to oppose him. Just as she stormed out, angered by his insinuation that young Henry wasn't her son (which, of course, he wasn't), his Belle walked through the door. Or, Miss Bouquin; that really would take some remembering.  
"Bouquin? Gold, what the hell is she doing here?"  
"Madame Mayor, glad to see you remember my old business partner. Since I am helping Miss Swan with the... technicalities, Miss Bouquin is providing the financial backing. Much more able than I in that regard after all."  
He gave the witch a sardonic, and watched as Belle... Miss Bouquin walked further into his shop. According to his memories she hadn't been in the establishment in over four years; he was rather surprised when she breathlessly accepted his proposal to help him back Miss Swan, barely after it left his mouth. So focused was he on his oblivious almost-lover that he did not notice the Mayor as she stormed out of his store.

The two of them spent hours discussing a way to get Miss Swan into the towns favour, until at last Belle... Miss _Bouquin_ stood up and said that she had an idea. She went to the back of the store to fetch some of the waterproofed wool he had tended to earlier that day, and when she came back she explained her plan to him. It was painfully familiar, so many parallels to his and the beggar's plan to seize the cursed dagger, and he was quite concerned that his love was so enthusiastic about burning down Town Hall. But, she said, there was no way Miss Swan would let the Mayor burn. And when she figured out that the two of them were behind it she would out them, and then the town would see that even they could not control her. He had to admit it was a foolproof plan. And so he put the lanolin in place as Miss Bouquin kept an eye on the two women; then they set the fire and went their separate ways, him to his shop to consider the next step and she to her Library to worry about whatever it was that had had her so distressed over the last two weeks. Miss Swan came to confront him, as he expected, later that evening, still smelling of soot. She immediately started to accuse him, and he told her that she needed something big. But when he suggested that he would never come up with such a dangerous idea, she immediately reacted the way he had known she would.  
"That sweet little Librarian masterminded this? Jeez, I thought Granny and Ruby were joking when they said she was creepy."  
After a few more hurled barbs and insults the blonde stormed out the door with a scornful backwards glance. He could not _wait_ for tomorrow's debate.

The day dawned bright but cold, as it always did in Storybrooke, and he prepared himself for the election at noon. He met Miss Bouquin outside Town Hall, making sure he was seen speaking with her, and admired the wolf that had taken to following her around. Although it wasn't exactly legal, since Belle didn't actually have an 'exotic pets' license, the beast seemed tame, and it wasn't like anyone dared to contradict her. The animal stayed outside as they went in, and a quick look back showed it lying on the floor watching Miss Blanchard and Mr Nolan as they stapled flyers to the noticeboard. He grimaced, almost sorry he had interfered in their romance. Almost. He and Bouquin took seats by the aisle on opposing sides of the room, ready to leave should Miss Swan accuse them of anything. It didn't take long for everybody else to sit down. After Glass' opening statement, which followed Doctor Hopper's awkward introduction, Miss Swan took the stand, and he waited impatiently as she attempted to give a heartfelt speech. But it didn't take long before she snapped under the weight of the truth.  
"The fire was a set-up. Mr Gold agreed to support me in this race, but I didn't know that meant he was going to sett a fire, aided as I believe he was by Miss Bouquin. I don't have definitive evidence, but I'm sure. And the worst part of all of this was... is I let you all think it was real, and I cannot win that way. I'm sorry."  
Both he and Belle stood up almost in tandem as the gasps flew down the room, both of them receiving an equal amount of dark glares. No doubt with that Miss Swan had secured the election. He gave Miss Bouquin a respectful nod, getting a sad smile in return, as they parted, he to his car and she to her wolf. He watched the two walk off together after he reached his Cadillac, and then left to prepare for the arrival of the Saviour in his pawnshop once more. And then, when she failed to arrive once more, he visited her again. She seemed more than a little shocked to learn about his and Belle's little plan. And more than a little pissed. These things were easily manipulated and controlled though.

He did know how to recognise a desperate soul after-all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They'll figure it out eventually guys. Promise ;)


	12. Following the compass home

_**Emma** _

Sheriff. The people of this ridiculous little town had actually elected _her_ Sheriff. She wasn't qualified, she didn't feel ready for this. Just a month ago she was a bail-bonds person, and ten years before _that_ she was in jail! No, she wasn't ready to be Sheriff, she didn't deserve it; the man whose cold, limp hand she was currently holding _did_ deserve it. The newly appointed Sheriff Swan was sat in the uncomfortable bedside chair in the hospital room of her predecessor, who lay in a coma in his hospital bed. She ran her thumb over his hand in repetitive circles as she spoke to him, describing to him the events of the last few days, since she had last been to visit him. Unsurprisingly she was his only frequent visitor; despite her dramatics, the Mayor hadn't cared enough to visit the man, even once. But even after she ran out of words to say, Emma sat beside the man she had kissed but three times, hoping that her mere presence would bring at least a little comfort to the unconscious man.

The blonde was called away from her post guarding the Sheriff by a distressing phone call, that Henry and two other kids his age had been caught shoplifting. She left with a heavy sigh, wondering what had gone wrong. She arrived to find that the Mayor was already there, but just on the way out with Henry. Emma was left to take the other two kids caught up in the mess home, whose parents supposedly 'couldn't pay the bills'. It was such a painfully obvious lie, but she went along with it, to figure out where these kids were staying. She knew the look that orphans had in their eyes. These kids were alone. So when she sent them to their house, she drove away and watched from a distance as they left the house behind, ran across yards and went and hid in the basement of another. She followed them, and found them in a crooked, abandoned house, where her suspicions were confirmed; they had no parents.

She took them to her and Mary Margaret's apartment, hoping that as a schoolteacher she wouldn't mind the presence of children too much, and wondered how she was supposed to find out if the two had parents in town if all she knew about them was their names and that of their deceased mother. The last thing she wanted was for the two children to be separated.

When Emma went to the office of public records to find the twins' birth certificates, she was irritated but not really that surprised to learn that the documents had recently been removed by the Mayor. She sighed as she approached the office at Town Hall. All of that monochrome was giving her a headache. When she went into the office she was, once again, not surprised to hear that Regina had very unhelpfully contacted social services, and the two kids were set to be separated in Boston. And she was supposed to be the one that delivered them there. Not a chance. She still had a day to find the man that had fathered them.

Hours were spent, or wasted, depending on how you looked at it, just sat in the Sheriff's office, rifling through paperwork. There was nothing, no indication of who the father might be. Henry helpfully came in towards the end of hour number two, bringing with him his fairy-tale book and a theory of who the two kids were: Hansel and Gretel. _Well that explains the candy bars_. At least the kid had faith that the father had been unable to leave town. But then the kid sat himself on her desk as she started on another file, and asked about his _own_ father. How was she supposed to explain to a ten year old that his father had abandoned her to jail while she was pregnant? So she did what she always did, and she lied. It was a heartfelt little story, but Henry's followup question was a stroke of genius. _Something to remember him by!_ She got up to throw the surplus paperwork on her desk and grab her keys, but before she left she heard Henry say something under his breath.  
"Graham was the closest thing to a Dad I ever had." Emma turned back to him and swept him up into a hug. _Oh, kid_. "It'll be okay Henry. He'll wake up."

__She was back at the apartment in no time, pulling an old cardboard box from under her bed. She took it downstairs to show the twins her baby blanket, to prompt them into telling her about something, _anything_ , that they might have that once belonged to their father. Ava did have something, which she showed in exchange for the assurance that she and her brother would stay together. Emma really was no good at not making promises she couldn't keep. The object turned out to be a compass, old, worn and broken. It seemed quite fancy though, unique. _An_ tique. God knew there was only one place in Storybrooke to find something like that._ _

___It really felt like she was going to Gold's pawnshop far too often these day. She shoved open the door, in a hurry, and thrust the battered old compass in the man's face, mentally preparing for the pointless information he would no doubt throw at her._  
"Did you know that this is crystal?"  
No she didn't. She didn't care. The conversation progressed, Gold clearly not in a helpful mood.  
"Do you happen to remember who bought it?"  
He insisted he didn't remember the name, although he probably did. He had records of the purchase though, which was just as useful. And all it cost was a little tolerance. It wasn't like she needed to see Gold on a daily basis. She gave the name, Michael Tillman, and called out before she left  
"I do hope you'll consider 'tolerating' Miss Bouquin as well, Sheriff Swan!"  
When she got to the garage where Tillman worked she was disappointed to learn that the father had no intention of actually _being_ a father, and his children were doubtless going to be separated. 

___Barely an hour later she was loading the kids into the back of the cruiser, preparing for the long drive to Boston, trying to ignore the quiet tears falling in the back seat, and the lone one trickling down her cheek. And then, on the road out of town, her engine stalled. Emma pulled over, not that there was much point considering how deserted it was. She would be forced to call for help. Unfortunate, wasn't it, that the only person qualified to help was the father of the children weeping in her back seat. She leaned against the car as she waited, staring at her phone. And then the headlights were shining as the tow-truck arrived, gliding slowly down the street. Stepping out, the driver didn't seem very happy to see her. Or the kids._  
"Those are them?" _Oh, great grammar pal._  
"Those are them" she confirmed.  
He realised immediately that the car was fine; she just wanted him to see them. Just once. She tried to connect with him, to explain how it had been when she first saw Henry. And then he stared into the back window of the cruiser, into the eyes of his children. For a tense moment she was sure he was going to turn away and send her off to Boston; then he turned to her, and told that she didn't have to. Those children were his. She watched as he approached the car, and met his kids for the first time. She'd imagined it like this for herself, meeting her parents. Tears, and hugs and smiles. Now there might be Henry too, giving them affectionate grandparenty nicknames. She smiled. That might not happen for her, but at least these kids had found their family. 

__She returned to the apartment shortly after, to join Mary Margaret as she folded laundry. She told the woman about Henry's theory and they shared a laugh. Emma left after that for fresh air, pausing only briefly as her roommate admired her baby blanket. Then she was gone, in her car to read her old case file. Henry arrived to see her, bringing pumpkin pie, and the guilt hit her about her lie. The brief moment the two shared as she opened the box was interrupted as some guy on a motorcycle arrived, and the two directed him to the B &B. Then he walked off, still nameless, and drove to the old inn._ _

__Back at the hospital it seemed the shift in the town's atmosphere, caused both by the unexpected reunion and by the unforeseen arrival, had an odd, positive result. A man, lying in the same hospital bed he had been for the last two weeks, shot up from the deepest slumber he had ever had. He took in the glass and white walls and machinery with new eyes, like he was seeing them all for the first time. And outside his room, his awakening was observed by two different sets of bright, blue eyes._ _


	13. Awake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is absolutely right on time. My internet sucks. Sorry guys :/

_**Belle** _

Belle and Anna were in the hospital, the platinum blonde there to have some stitches in her left had removed after a long two weeks of bandages, and the brunette there for moral support. Anna had managed to aggravate Nymeria (the name Belle had given to her new lupine friend, after an old Enchanted Forest legend) by calling him a pet, and the young wolf had reacted rather rudely, by bringing sharp teeth down into the young woman's hand. He was quite embarrassed about the whole affair now, but it didn't make the wound any shallower. The stitches had now been removed, though, and the two women were on their way out of the hospital. Until they saw, in what had previously been John Doe's, aka David Nolan's (aka Prince Charming's), hospital room, a man suddenly shoot out of bed.

Belle turned to Anna, who was equally shocked to see a coma patient miraculously awaken. The platinum blonde seemed concerned, but since she was already late for a... 'meeting' with Ms Duzeem (quite clearly a date, in Belle's opinion), the brunette sent her on her way. She was hesitant to leave, but Anna had been excited about the... meeting for days, and Belle wasn't going to let her miss it for anything. After the young student had finally departed, looking back once before hurrying off with a skip in her step, the Librarian turned to the private room. She might have promised to contact Doctor Whale to make sure Mr Humbert was alright, but first she wanted to speak with him.

He had just stood up when she reached his room, pushing open the door as quietly as possible. Humbert was prodding at his own face when she slowly stepped into the room, pulling at his beard and muttering something to himself over and over. Belle leaned in, trying to catch the mumbled words.  
"I remember... I remember..."  
"What do you remember, Mr Humbert?"  
The man in question quickly turned, the movement to much for a body that hadn't moved in over two weeks. He stumbled back into the bed, clearly shocked to see her there.  
"Miss Bouquin... I... it's really... not important, Miss Bouquin."  
She wasn't convinced. Belle stepped forwards to look the Irishman properly in the face, and saw in his eyes the familiar expression she had noticed when last she saw him awake. That alert look. The clarity in his expression.  
"Oh. I know what you remember."  
"You do?"  
"Yes. You remember your past life! Who were you, back there?"  
For a moment he seemed startled, and Belle really hoped that the clear look in his eyes wasn't caused by whatever drugs coma patients might be on. She wasn't really sure how that would work, but-  
"Wait. You remember as well? How?"  
Oh thank the gods. "That's a very long story, but the short version is I had precautions in place that would allow me to remember when I heard the Saviour's name."  
"The Saviour?"  
"Miss Swan. Emma. How do you remember?"  
"I kissed her..."  
Belle raised her eyebrows. _Yes, that would probably do it._  
"So who _were_ you then, back in the Old World?"  
"I was the Huntsman. That the Evil Queen sent after Snow White... The Evil Queen! Oh gods, you have to run! She must still have my heart, she'll use it to kill me, or to control me, or..."  
The brunette could only watch as the poor man fell into a panic, and for 15 minutes he hyperventilated, pulling out IV's and all the wires still attached to him, knocking things over before he ended up in the corner struggling to breathe. At last her calming words got through to him, as she approached him as one would a wounded animal. It was clear her words took a while to register in his mind.  
"... alright Huntsman. She doesn't have your heart anymore. It's alright."  
"What do you mean she doesn't have it anymore? She squeezed it, that's why I was unconscious."  
"If the Queen had it, you'd be dead. I have it. Your wolf helped me get it."  
"You have my heart? And my wolf?" The man seemed overjoyed, as he leaped to his feet, but his elation soon turned to confusion. "Wait. Who were _you_ in the Enchanted Forest?"  
Oh dear. "I was Beauty. As in 'Beauty and the Beast'."  
"So who was the-"  
"Mr Humbert, you're awake!" Doctor Whale chose that moment to barge in, and very quickly shooed Belle away. Before she was sent away completely, the brunette managed to say to The Huntsman:  
"Come to the Library when they let you out of the Hospital, and we can finish our conversation. I have your apartment key."  
And then the nurses threw her out.

By the time Belle got back to the Library it was rather late, and she went straight upstairs to her bed. She noticed Nymeria wasn't around, and assumed he'd gone for a run in the woods. After locking up and getting changed, the brunette lay down to get some rest. Her final thoughts that night were on how to break the curse; the first thing she needed to do was get the Huntsman up to date. Then he could help her figure out how to wake up Rumplestiltskin. When Belle woke again hours later, and went to Granny's for pancakes and a good view of Mr Gold, she found that interesting things had happened besides the previous Sheriff waking up (although Miss Lucas hadn't learned of that development just yet). Another stranger had arrived in town (a development Miss Lucas was happy to share), Mr Tillman from the garage was sitting staring at two kids who were shoveling bacon and eggs into their mouths, and Miss Blanchard seemed to be continuing her plans to stalk Mr Nolan. She shook her head at the disheveled woman. _Really, resorting to following her almost lover around everywhere, what kind of person did that..._ Of course, now that she thought about it she was sort of stalking Mr Gold, and if she wasn't so desperate for the curse to be broken she would be more thorough about it... But it wasn't like she knew if he ever ordered Chinese food and when that might happen. Honestly Snow, be more obvious why don't you. She shook her head. Then she was pulled from her thoughts by a slim body careening into her booth. She blinked and refocused her eyes on an excited Anna, who was more animated than Belle'd ever seen her. She raised an eyebrow.

"How's Ms Duzeem?"  
"Oh she's great, and dear, and so unsure, I... wait, no. How's Mr Humbert? He woke up!"  
The blonde leaned forwards to ask her question, and Belle rolled her eyes at the girl's reluctance to speak of private matters in public.  
"He's fine Anna. He'll probably be discharged from the hospital in a couple of days." It took about five seconds after that statement for Anna to find a distraction.  
"Oh, Idina, over here!"  
Anna actually waved her over, almost clipping Miss Lucas as she walked by. Ms Duzeem joined them, standing at the edge of the table. A gentle smile was given to the blonde, but Belle received an unimpressed glare.  
"Miss Bouquin."  
She smirked to herself, knowing that the redhead only wanted her gone so that she could have breakfast with her almost-girlfriend. Belle stood.  
"I think it's time for me to open the Library. Goodbye you two,"  
They barely noticed her leaving.

-

There wasn't much to do whilst trapped in the Library as the storm without grew, except listen to the powerful winds and try to keep Nymeria from dismantling all of the shelves in his panic. There was nobody else in the building, Anna and Ms Duzeem no doubt still together, and Henry still hadn't returned to the Library after finding Miss Swan. But just as she was planning to lock up the Library and retire upstairs, the doors banged over, and some drenched soul stumbled in. Belle frowned at the unfamiliar face; this must be Storybrooke's latest stranger.  
"Hello. Can I help you?"  
The man looked up, hair plastered to his head, and told her he had just been meaning to escape the rain. He put the box he had with him on the floor, but then continued to drip over the tiles. Belle rolled her eyes, and stood to meet him.  
"Come on, let's get you dry."  
She led him upstairs to her apartment, really hoping he wasn't dangerous (of course, Belle had a wolf), and directed him to her shower. As he was warming up she put on tea for the both of them, and then rooted around through her closets for anything that would fit him. Thankfully she still, for some reason, had clothes that had belonged to her first boyfriend (the delightful Gary aka Gaston), who had been a quarterback. They would fit. Hopefully. She placed the shirt and sweatpants she had found outside the bathroom door; the man (August, he had said) would have to make do with just that.

He resurfaced about a half hour later, clearly glad for higher quality showers than found at Granny's.  
"Your towels are so soft."  
She rolled her eyes at him, and held out a warm mug. For a few minutes they sat at her dining table in awkward silence, before he broke it by asking:  
"Why would you invite me into your home like that? I'm a complete stranger, I could be dangerous."  
She smiled at him. "I could see the good in you. Besides, I can handle myself perfectly well." Especially since she was the Dark Once. Was she still immortal in this realm? Probably. August only raised is eyebrows at her.  
"So anyway. What brought you to Storybrooke Mr Booth?"  
"Just August is fine. And I cam here for inspiration. I'm a writer."  
"You should feel at home in the Library then." She smiled at him. "But why Storybrooke?"  
"It has a... magical feel to it."  
He leaned forwards to sip his tea after that, but Belle was immediately suspicious. She could hear it in his voice, that he meant what he said. But this was a stranger, what could he possibly know?  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well it just... seems like a little fairy tale town, y'know. Like a mini-kingdom ruled by a benevolent Queen. Or an Evil Queen."  
Belle spoke before she could stop herself. "You know about the curse?"  
August choked on his drink. "You remember?!"  
After mistakenly revealing her lack of memory loss Belle explained how she remembered, and August (or rather, Pinocchio) explained how he knew. It was clear he had been desperate to get his crimes off his chest, as he told how he had stolen the second spot in the Enchanted Wardrobe. She felt like there was something he was still holding back, but she could let him keep some of his secrets at least.  
"This certainly has been a productive day. Two allies in two days. Sort of."  
He wanted to break the curse too, to get back to his father.  
"Two? Who else remembers?"  
"Graham Humbert, the old Sheriff. He was the Huntsman, back in the Forest. I assume he'll want to help with the curse breaking too; we didn't really get the chance to discuss it. He'd only just awoken from his coma."  
"How does he remember?"  
"He says that Emma kissed him."  
August nodded, and they discussed the curse for a while longer, agreeing to met up in the Library in the next few days to when they came up with a plan. Booth left after that, after changing into his tumble-dried clothes, back to Granny's diner even as the storm continued. He tripped over Nymeria on the way out, having not noticed him earlier. Then he was gone, and Belle was left to contemplate the days events.

-

The next day at quarter to eight, later than she had hoped to set out, Belle went to the diner hoping to see Mr Gold again, needing to see his face on ce more now that the curse was that much closer to being broken, with another person in town working to make the Saviour believe. But she saw something unexpected before she even got there: Snow White and Prince Charming making out in the middle of the street, in full view of everyone and the Mayor, not even considering discretion. Miss Swan would never be able to focus on the curse if her best friend got herself involved in a scandal. One step forwards, two steps back.


	14. Amassing brothers-in-arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's alive! Yaay!!! ... Sorry guys. There was a family emergency, then the associated stress, and then I just couldn't get in the mood to write. But now I'm back, and I have the next installment, huzzah!  
> Anyway.  
> Chapter 14!

**_Henry_ **

As soon as he woke up the morning after the big storm, Henry leaped out of bed and got ready in record time. It was a Saturday, which meant he had a session with Jiminy that morning, but before he had to go he would be able to check on his castle after the storm. As he went to get his bike from the stable-garage he radioed Emma, then put his walkie talkie into his backpack. Then he was off, riding on his noble steed to his mighty fortress. Emma had beaten him there, but that was okay 'cause her steed was way faster. He went right past her though, and to the treasure buried in the castle's dungeon. The Evil Queen must never find the prophetic tome that told off her past, or the consequences would be dire! She'd totally followed him there though, and Henry barely managed to rebury the book in the dirt before the Queen herself walked up. She was mad because she thought he'd forgotten he had to see Jiminy, but he hadn't; other things were simply more important. He was sent to the Mayor's dark steed, but he could hear the Queen yelling at the Saviour as he went. He rolled his eyes. This stuff always happened.

But when he went back to his castle after his therapy session, something _new_ was happening. His fortress was being demolished! Who dared destroy the Prince's palace? This was an outrage, a most terrible... Oh. It was his mom. Of course the Evil Queen was behind this. There was nothing the Saviour could do to save the castle, or the missing treasure! Now where was he supposed to go? He went back back to the Evil Queen's mansion, the only place he had left.

 

The next day (apparently his mom's office had been broken in the night before, perhaps some one remembered?) Henry had gone back to his list and the stories he'd recorded, all the people's forgotten identities he knew. He looked over what he had so far:  
Miss Blanchard: Snow White  
Paige: Grace  
Miss Gans: Anidori something-or-other (the goose girl?)  
Ruby: Red Riding Hood  
Granny: Granny  
Mrs Berrin: Queen Eleanor  
Dr Hopper: Jiminy Cricket  
Marco: Gepetto  
Leroy: Grumpy  
Mr Clark: Sneezy  
Miss Caprice: Rapunzel  
Mr Francesco: Puss in boots  
Miss Yawing: Thumbelina  
Mom: -Esmeralda-Jane-The Evil Queen  
Mr Glass: Genie&Magic Mirror  
Mr Walter: Sleepy  
Jack: Knave of Hearts  
Mr Gold: -Merlin-  
Mother Superior: Blue Fairy  
Ashley Boyd: Cinderella  
Ashley's boyfriend?: Prince Thomas  
Mrs Boyd?: Evil Stepmother  
Dolores Boyd: Anastasia/Drizella Tremaine  
-John Doe-: Prince Charming [Mr Nolan]  
Mrs Nolan: Odette/Princess Abigail?  
Sheriff Graham: Huntsman  
Mr Tillman: The woodcutter  
Nicholas: Hansel  
Ava: Gretel

 

It was a good list, but it had lots of pieces missing. He didn't even know who some of the most powerful people in town were, like Miss Bouquin who owned all the land, and Mr Gold who kept making unbreakable deals. Wasn't there a character who did that? Who was it... the phone downstairs began to ring just as he felt like he was getting close. Oh well. If he didn't remember, it wasn't important. He ran to get the phone.

Henry reached the bottom of the stairs just as whoever was calling gave up and left a message instead. He went to pick it up anyway when Doctor Whale began to speak.  
"Madame Mayor. You wanted me to contact you with any developments, so I'm letting you know over Sheriff Swan who is the emergency contact. Mr Humbert awoke from his coma two days ago, and is just signing his release forms now. I should imagine he'll be going to collect his keys from Miss Bouquin immediately. Thought you would need to know- what? A heart attack? No, tell Miss Ginger that..." The Doctor's voice began to fade, but Henry barely noticed. He waited impatiently for Whale to end his message, so that he could delete it and meet Graham at the Library. _The Huntsman was awake!_ At last the Doctor's voice returned excusing himself, and the Prince was able to wipe the machine's memory. The he left a rushed note on the dining table for his mom, went to get his steed ready for travel, and set off.

When he got to the Library doors the Huntsman was just arriving, and Henry threw down his bike and caught the man in an unexpected hug.  
"Graham! You're awake!" He thought he was crying, but that was okay; Princes could cry in times of celebration.  
"Henry! It's good to see you too." He ruffled his hair. "Be careful though, I'm still a little unsteady on my feet."  
Henry nodded seriously and released the noble Huntsman. Then The Huntsman bent down and became eye level with Henry  
"Do you remember what we talked about before my coma? About your book?" Henry nodded; of course he remembered, Operation Cobra was his kingdom's most important quest. "Well it's all true. I remember everything!"  
For a moment Henry was shocked into silence: he knew his theory was correct, of course he did, but having it confirmed by one of its victims was amazing, a very rewarding feeling.  
"You... how do you remember?"  
"Well... sorry Henry, I kissed Emma again." He scrunched up his nose in response. _Gross_. "And now I'm here to collect my apartment key, and my things since they're apparently here, and talk to Miss Bouquin about what to do now." The Huntsman stood, and reached for the Library doors.  
"What to do now about what?" he questioned.  
"About the curse, of course."  
"Wait. Miss Bouquin remembers? How do you know? Who is she really?"  
"Well, she told me she did right after I woke up, and she says she's Beauty, as in Beauty and the Beast."  
"What was she doing at the... Wait, Beauty and the Beast." Prince Henry dropped to the ground to root through his trusty saddle-backpack, and pulled out the notes on the curse he had brought with him. "In the real version of that story... the Beast is Rumplestiltskin! I don't think Beauty can be trusted. The two might be working for the Evil Queen."  
"Rumplestiltskin... I don't think that they are Henry. Now that I think about it, I might have met Miss Bouquin, or whatever her name is-"  
"-It's probably Belle."  
"Yes, Belle, back in the Enchanted Forest. I helped her escape from the Queen. I doubt they're working together now."  
"Oh."  
"Don't you want to come in and talk to her Henry? Rumplestiltskin was known to be heavily involved with the curse; perhaps she knows something."  
After a moments contemplation, Henry nodded.  
"Yes. Let us go forth Huntsman, and learn all we can from the Lady Belle."  
He did not see the Huntsman's smirk. "Just Graham is fine Henry. And people didn't really talk like that."  
"They didn't? Oh..."

When the two walked in, Henry first and Graham just behind, they were surprised to find the Library not quite as empty as they expected - and its two visible occupants in a heated lip-lock.  
"Uhh.. Hi Miss Paravel. And... Miss Paravel's friend."  
The two women broke apart immediately, Miss Paravel (identity unknown) blushing and trying to cover her face with hand and hair. Her companion, whose identity Henry didn't know in either realm, immediately turned from her position leaning against the table to glare at them, although the blush that covered her cheeks quite ruined the effect. The redhead gave up her death stare when Miss Paravel pulled her away into the stacks. Henry looked up at The Huntsman.  
"Well that was kinda awkward."  
The Huntsman nodded, as a faint voice started to filter through the bookshelves.  
"Are you two... okay? Penny, please just pick a chair and sit down, you're making a mess."  
Then Miss Bouquin appeared from behind the shelves, carrying several damp books. When she saw the two of them stood by the doors she paused for a moment, then gestured with her head for them to come in as she set the books on the table.  
"Last night's storm did a number on the roof, which leaked right into the travel section." She patted the cover of the damaged book on the top of the pile. "Did you need help with something?"  
Henry decided to get right to it. "You remember!" He pointed accusingly, arm wavering as the brunette approached.  
"Yes I do, but don't yell it out. No one else in here does, and Regina might be watching." She motioned for them to sit down opposite her at the table. "I assume from this that you now know Mr Humbert remembers?"  
"Graham is fine-"  
"-Yes I do. I also know that you're the Beauty, and you're in league with Rumplestiltskin."  
She looked down, unimpressed at the return of the pointing finger. "Yes I am the... 'Beauty', and I would be in league with Rumplestiltskin if I was sure that he remembered."  
"The Dark One doesn't remember?"  
"I don't think so. We put precautions in place to make _him_ remember, but they worked on me instead. I'm not sure if he remembers too. Asking would probably cause chaos if he doesn't."  
"Why would you help him? Did you help him with the curse?"  
"Yes I did, and I can't tell you that."  
"But..."  
Miss Bouquin shook her head and motioned for quiet as Miss Paravel and her friend came back, the former trying to avoid eye contact and the latter trying to force it. As soon as they left she turned back to them.  
"I'm sorry Henry, I just can't say. Now what do you know so far?"

The next few hours were spent discussing all that the three of them knew about the curse, safe in the knowledge that the Evil Queen and half the town were discussing boring town matters. They were joined by the stranger, who turned out to be Pinocchio, about half way through. He wasn't really that much help. And they didn't really know how to break the curse either. Miss Bouquin, or Belle, in private, said that True Love's Kiss could break any curse, but the Saviour had to be one part of that pair, which made it kinda difficult. (His suggestion that Graham and Emma share True Love's Kiss was rejected, since neither of them were cursed.) All in all it was an unproductive day, since they weren't any closer to breaking the curse. But Prince Henry had new allies and brothers in arms, and confirmation that what he was doing was right. Even if he lost the vote to tell the Saviour that three people remembered the truth, it was fine because they had joined Operation Cobra. He even had a few new names to add to his list. 

Irene Carter: Lady Ruth (Great-grandma, awesome!)  
Mr Gold: -Merlin- Rumplestiltskin  
Miss Bouquin: Belle, Beauty  
Miss Carmen: Giselle  
Mr French: Lord Maurice  
August Booth: Pinocchio 

He also knew what had happened to the kingdom's great treasure, but August had promised to give it back and his nose didn't grow, so Henry figured it was okay. Later on in the day it was less okay, when he learned the Evil Queen had forbidden the Saviour from being near him. After he told her the book was probably gone forever (they had agreed to let the Saviour return it to him), the Prince told his mother that something _had_ returned. Graham was safe, awake, and at home. 

He was, at that moment, on the phone with Belle, discussing what they had been hesitant to discuss with Henry present; the safekeeping of his heart. To keep Regina from finding it Belle would hold onto it, somewhere only she knew about it. She would check it was there everyday and keep it safe, and return it the moment that magic returned to Storybrooke. The discussion was interrupted by a knock on his apartment door, then another, and another. The two said their goodbyes and Graham hung up, and rushed to the door, hoping it wasn't the Queen trying to kick it down. It wasn't. He barely had the time to register the mass of blonde curls before he was breathing them in, and before he could register the press of hair against his lips, he was registering the press of lips against his lips. He kissed back, hard, and before he knew it the two of them were on his couch, their shirts off and hands roaming everywhere. All thoughts of curses were chased away, as thoughts of Emma filled his mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -name- means Henry crossed this name out. Don't know how to do that on AO3. If you want to know who everyone else is (or even why I chose the names I did for everyone) I might post the guide I have with everyone's names on it. I confused even myself writing this.
> 
> Also Anidori (Kiladra Talianna Isilee (or something) is the name of the Goose Girl in Shannon Hale's version of the tale, titled 'The Goose Girl', funnily enough. It's a good book.


	15. Secrets revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a little longer than usual. I had the scene in my head right from the start of this story, but I couldn't find a way to get it down. Enjoy!!

_**Rumplestiltskin** _

Valentine's Day. How he _hated_ Valentine's Day. A whole day, dedicated to love. Whose brilliant idea was that? It was an awful holiday, and he was sure many others agreed. It's all well and good to celebrate your loved ones and dedicate a whole day to them, but if you love someone you should show them that _every_ day of the year, not just one. And if, like him, you had no one (or more specifically, had someone who didn't remember who you really were and didn't love you anyway), then the holiday only became that much more depressing, when you had to watch others in love. Right now, for example, Moe French was hauling a bucket of roses from his van. Miss Carmen skipped past singing about True Love's Kiss or dreams or something, and bought a half-dozen roses from the bucket with a smile. That was something he didn't need to see, and the bloody holiday wasn't until tomorrow. Thankfully there wouldn't be much more of it. He wasn't fond of Mr French, he had been a bit of a fool in the Old World to be honest, but he had backed out of a deal. And that just wouldn't do. If you sign a deal with Mr Gold stating that you will give him a set amount of profits from your shop in exchange for his backing and support, then you do it. Otherwise you'll have to pay. Mr French had neglected to pay the full amount of cash, so his van would be seized for collateral. Gold wouldn't be keeping it of course; French would just need to come to him and politely ask for their deal to be modified. He was, after all, the father of Gold's love-who-doesn't-remember-who-he-is-and-probably-doesn't-love-him. Not that French remembered he had a daughter.

To say Mr French had been upset about the loss of his van would be an understatement. To Gold's irritation, Mr French had seemed more upset about the loss of his rusted old vehicle than Lord Maurice had seemed over the loss of his only child. That only turned the Scotsman further against him. He walked away, right into the wonderful Mayor. He sighed to himself. Seemed she wanted something from him, as per usual. She would have to try harder than that to get his attention. She might think she had all of the power here, but she didn't. With one word he was able to bypass her. He went past the Library, slowing his pace discretely as the doors opened, hoping to hear his Belle's voice. He got one better than that. Mr Humbert walked out, his awakening and new relationship with the Sheriff being the talk of the town, followed right after by Miss Bouquin. They stopped talking when they noticed him there, his way now blocked by The Huntsman, who awkwardly left. He exchanged greetings with Miss Bouquin, who he hadn't seen since the election for Sheriff. He was glad to hear that the thick French accent she'd had through the entirety of the curse was gradually fading, some of her vowels becoming more distinctively Australian. It was one sign the curse was breaking that he was happy to acknowledge. But he and Belle were no longer close in this world, and so with a nod he continued on his way at his slow, drawn out pace.

After a short walk along the shore, as close as he could get without hitting sand, he returned back to his Victorian on the outskirts of town. Most everything about that place he hated. More than a half-dozen steps up to his front doors, which were poorly painted and filled with coloured glass. A ridiculous amount of corners in each room, all filled with dust. Knick-knacks on every surface, which he had to shift around whenever he wanted to do something. A bedroom set aside for his son, and the his closet still holding items of clothing that had once belonged to Belle, or rather Ellena. Not to mention the whole exterior was an ugly, eye-catching pink. Today he barely noticed the colour, no time for grimacing as he saw that his front door was ajar. He slowly made his way up the porch steps, ears straining for any stray sound from within. At the top of the steps he paused before walking in, and immediately began assessing the damage. He grabbed the gun he kept by the door and went into the sitting room, where boxes were opened and furniture overturned. The room seemed to be the focus of the damage, the adjoining areas left unmolested. Gold glanced around again; a priceless painting was gone, as was solid gold arrow (that used to belong to cupid), and a music box that, in this world, belonged to the lost Russian princess, but in the last one belonged to a hoarding mermaid. That was also mostly gold. He barely noticed the absence as he hurried over to his china cabinet, which had several smashed plates and one missing tea cup. He scowled. _Regina_. There was a creak of the floorboards behind him and he turned, gun raised, to find himself facing the Sheriff.

He tried to get rid of her, which didn't exactly work when she threatened him with 'obstruction of justice' charges and a continuation to his stint behind bars. So he gave her the basic information instead, that it was Moe French who had broken in, upset over the loss of his beloved van. He also made it clear that he had his own kind of justice he was happy to exact. Nobody stole Mr Gold's favourite teacup. As he was shepherding Sheriff Swan out of the door, Gold realised the teacup wasn't the only thing of value missing. Gone from its display stand - which was, in hindsight, a terrible place to put it - was the most important thing that he could ever own. Yes. Mr French would definitely pay for this.

About an hour later he was summoned to the Sheriff's station, where Miss Swan was lounging in a chair, acting like the collectibles she had gathered meant something to him. He looked over the objects; the cup wasn't there, and neither was his treasure. These things were worthless! How could Miss Swan do half a job, and then spin around on that chair like a child acting as though she had won a medal? She hadn't even caught French. What was the point in relying on law enforcement, when he could find the thief himself? It wouldn't take much to track him down.

By nightfall he had a solid plan, and so had gone to the store owned by the most bacteria-stuffed of the dwarves for supplies; duct tape and rope, namely. There he ran into not-so-Charming who was, it seemed, buying a card for each of his lovers. Not a very discrete man, that. After a brief chat he was back on the streets, and in no time at all was driving his newly acquired van to his cabin in the woods. He directed his cargo into the log building with the added persuasion of his gun, duct tape silencing any foolish words he might choose to spew. He slammed the door and spun his cane in his hand, preparing to retrieve what had been taken.

A short while later the duct tape was gone and French was begging for the chance to explain. So he pulled up a chair and explained the rules. French, of course, broke them immediately.  
"Please, Gold. It's not my fault."  
"Your fault? So it's my fault, is it? You were her father! You shouldn't have let the monster take her away! And now she's cursed! And in pain! And she's alone! You were her father! You should have kept her close!"  
Gold barely registered the words he yelled in his rage, with each breath bringing the cane down on his victim as he begged for mercy. The anger grew with his guilt over what he was doing, but he felt the darkness calling to him, and just couldn't stop. _It must be close_.  
"It's your fault! Your fault!"  
Something stopped his arm from coming down again, and in the corner of his eye he could see a mass of blonde. _Well well well. The Saviour has arrived._ He found himself being pulled away, and didn't resist at all. As the Sheriff kept him in place with a glare and gently led Mr French away, he noticed the odd fold around the man's ankle, and hit it, hard. Swan glared at him and he glared back, but the blow had the desired effect. Not only was French limping, but the gleaming metal he had for some reason concealed in his sock had fallen out. He bent down to grasp it, feeling the familiar weight in his hand, and slipped it into the folds of his suit jacket. He tried to leave after that, but the Sheriff arrested him. She'd pay for that later. He could be very irritating when he wanted to be; just ask Robert from the Haberdashery. He used to guard the dwarf mines.

The next morning he had been made more than aware that Sheriff Swan could be more than irritating as well. After a ridiculous amount of sarcastic quips when locking him up, she'd locked the station up and left him in the dark. He was currently being taunted with half a sandwich, as though he was going to waste the favour the woman owed him on something such as that. Then loud heels came into the building, and he looked up from his expensive, dirty shoes to see the Mayor stomping in with the child he and Belle procured for her. It seemed Miss Swan was easily bought, unlike him - 30 minutes of Henry-time, and she'd leave the Mayor alone with a prisoner.  
"Well. You really wanted that little chat didn't you?"  
"Apparently this was the only way that I could do it." She gave him one of her diplomat smiles, but he wasn't convinced. She'd worn that smile when she'd told him that Belle was dead. _Bet she was surprised when she went to explore the Library for the first time._  
"Please. Sit." As expected, the smile dropped immediately. The rest of the conversation went as expected also; Regina tried to intimidate him but failed, and then used the stolen tea cup to get him to give up his true name. "Rumplestiltskin." She wasn't happy to hear that, but she didn't seem all that surprised.  
"I knew it." _Of course you did, dearie. That's why it took you so long to confront me._ "So it _was_ you that took The Huntsman's heart from me!"  
"That's a bit of a leap dearie, what makes you think that I had anything to do with it?"  
"Wait, you didn't?"  
"No, I did not. How does a person lose a heart anyway?"  
"I was going to crush it, but then someone set their dog on me, ran down the steps and took it from me!"  
"Don't sound so upset dearie; it's not like it belongs to you. And do you really think that _I_ could have taken it? I possess neither the necessary pet nor the necessary legs to rob you in such a way."  
"Oh yes... I didn't think-"  
"-You never do."  
He received another glare, and gave another deadly smirk. With a huff the Mayor rose to her feet, and stomped back out of the station. Gold sat back, satisfied with the conversation. Regina had received a reasonable warning, and he had his teacup back. He ran his finger over the chip.

"Rumpelstiltskin." To hear that name come from the mouth of another, with such a beautifully familiar voice, caused a myriad of emotions to dance through his eyes. Most noticeably fear, and horror. He glanced up from the porcelain and into the shadows, where the young brunette must have been concealed throughout the conversation. "Rumpelstiltskin?" the woman repeated as she stepped further into the light, gazing imploringly at the crippled man now leaning on the bars. He stared wide eyed for a moment before he collected himself and pulled his blank mask back on, mind reeling.  
"Ahh, now that, Miss Bouquin, is a very long story..."  
"Belle."  
"What?" disbelief and hope colouring his voice.  
"My name is Belle. And you remember. Why didn't you tell me?"  
"How would I have done that, my Belle? I wanted to, truly, but I couldn't bear it if you didn't remember." His gaze was begging her forgiveness, but she wasn't finished and she shook her head.  
"You beat my father, because he stole from you." Her voice broke as Belle swallowed thickly around the lump in her throat.  
"He stole your cup Belle, our cup. But that's not all." And he reached into his expensive jacket pocket as Belle watched on confusedly. Realisation dawned as he drew forth a crooked dagger from within the material. "He took this too, my Belle. He didn't know what it was, and Regina didn't find out he had it, but it was only a matter of time. I needed it back Belle." When he broke his gaze from the dagger he looked up to realise Belle had stumbled a few steps back.  
"You promised me Rumple. You promised me you would never use that dagger against me again." Gold opened and closed his mouth until he built up the courage for what he would do next.  
"I know, my Belle. And that is why..." He swallowed, grimacing "...that is why I am returning it to you now."

Moments passed in silence as Belle stared at him, at the dagger he held. Her key to freedom. She moved forward warily, arm outstretched to the dagger that contained her life, the one that she had yet to touch. "But, your son..." She trailed off, unsure, not wanting to give him reason to withdraw this offering. But he simply shook his head at her. "There are other ways to find my son than stealing the free will of the woman I love."  
"Especially since she'd offer her assistance anyway." Rumplestiltskin's head shot up as he met her eyes, and she offered a timid smile. "While I don't think a dark curse and cruel manipulations are the _best_ way to go about it, I want to help you find your son. I've come this far after all." She smiled sardonically. "And this... this proves that there is goodness in you yet." He opened his mouth to argue, but she continued. "Rumpelstiltskin, you just gave up the most powerful weapon that there is, and possibly the fastest way to find your son, because you can't bear the thought of keeping me trapped. Maybe it's a little late, but I can't help but be grateful." The deal-maker shook his head at the strange woman standing barely a foot away as their hands remained joined upon the handle of the dagger. So distracted were they in watching each other they did not hear a third person entering the station.  
"Hey Gold, sorry I forgot your cone but... Miss Bouquin? What are you doing here?" The two had already leaped apart as though burned, but it was too late to prevent the skeptical look on the Sheriff's face.

"I was, uh.. I was just..." Belle began, but was cut off by the Sheriff.  
"Is that a weapon? Were you bringing Gold a _weapon?_ " Rumplestiltskin rolled his eyes and glared at the young Saviour.  
"On the contrary, Miss Swan, I am giving it to her. This is a very valuable dagger that Mr French stole, and it actually belongs to Miss Bouquin here. I am merely returning it. Perhaps you should have checked my pockets." The Sheriff glared at him, eyes narrowed, and stalked closer. Before he could react, the dagger that Mr Gold had been balancing on his palm - hilt out towards Belle - was in the grasp of the Sheriff. Belle immediately shivered as she felt the control of the dagger shift. There was no magic in this world, but she could still feel it as her free will was passed to another person. She held her hand out for the dagger, but it seemed it was not to be. 

The Sheriff shook her head. "This is evidence now. And it is being locked away. In the evidence locker." At the death glare she was receiving from Gold, and the way he and Miss Bouquin were watching where she kept her keys, she realised she wasn't going to put the dagger in the evidence locker where they could probably get to it. Making a show of locking it away nice and tight, Emma slid the dagger up her sleeve. It wasn't directly linked to a crime so it wasn't evidence, and she'd really only taken it to piss Gold off. But she could feel in her bones it was important, so for now she would be holding on to it. Re-locking the evidence locker and turning back to the stricken, and oddly pale, woman stood before Gold's cell, she crossed her arms over her chest and said "You can leave now." With a minute nod of her head the frazzled woman turned to Gold and moved as if to curtsy, then changed her mind and moved with faltering steps out of the station. With a raised eyebrow and a glare at Gold she marched into her office, leaving the creepy old man staring after his employer, and then staring at a teacup that he was spinning in his hand.

He wished he had his wheel to spin so that he could forget that, in a moment of carelessness, he had given Belle's freedom away to someone who might, in the future, use it against her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorrynotsorry!


	16. Operation: Cobra, Mission: Basement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hem. Sorry. Exams aren't fun. Chapter 16!

_**Belle** _

It was dark out, not even the streetlights illuminating the town. The stars in the sky glimmered, bright and piercing against the darkness. The half-moon hung with them. The darkness did not surprise her, nor did the lack of life in the streets. It was, after all, almost midnight. Belle sat behind the face of the clock tower, watching the minute hand slowly shift and listening to the gears struggle to turn. She barely focused on these things though. Her gaze was focused on a shabby building across town, where the Saviour was living with her mother. That was the woman that held her freedom. Belle had already asked Graham to retrieve the Dark One's Dagger from the evidence locker at the station (she didn't tell him what it was, of course, only that it was hers from the Old World), but he had reported back that it wasn't there. That meant it was in Sheriff Swan's apartment, and she would surely notice if it went missing. The brunette sighed. She had no one to comfort her in her pain. Rumplestiltskin, though awake, could not see her often for fear of Regina becoming suspicious. Graham was busy, at a therapy session with Doctor Hopper. Even Nymeria was no longer by her side, roaming the woods as he was until his pack-brother was finished with the doctor. A light flickered down below, and Belle moved her gaze to the space in front of one of the store fronts still illuminated. It seemed Snow White and her Prince were once again sneaking about. She frowned. The two of them likely had not told Kathryn yet. She turned away from the window as Snow turned from her Prince. Even here the two of them found a way to be together. She could not bear to watch it all, and so she went to bed.

Thankfully there were parts of her routine that allowed her to see her love (who had said he loved her to her face, hurrah!), such as breakfast at Granny's where she was now. The two of them constantly made eye contact, significant little glances that no one else saw. They hadn't spoken much since the jail, but it went without saying that pursuing a relationship in this world would have the added danger of Regina's meddling, and her control of the curse. Not to mention what everyone would think. _But at least Rumple has expressed an interest in a relationship. Although I should imagine it is much easier now that I don't have scales._ She blinked out of her thoughts to catch Rumple's gaze move to the window, and she turned to see that Pinocchio had just left, and was now talking with Sheriff Swan, who was with Graham. Pinocchio pointed to the floor as _his_ eyes flicked into the Diner, meeting hers with a barely-there nod. She nodded back, and then the once-puppet turned and walked down the street. Belle was still facing the door when the Sheriff (and her recently appointed Deputy, who didn't fancy becoming sheriff again) walked through the door.  
"-n't mind if I have a drink with him? He's been pretty insistent."  
"I don't mind at all Emma. Just be careful. We don't know that much about him."  
"You do know I have a gun, right? Hey Mary Margaret."  
The blonde joined her roommate as her boyfriend went and ordered them whatever it was (probably hot cocoa). The two women instantly started a whispered conversation, and Belle turned back to face Rumple with her eyebrows raised. It was clear what that was all about. She overheard the words 'telling Kathryn', and it seemed Rumple had too. They shook their heads at each other; it seemed neither of them thought that Charming was quite as noble and honest as he had been in the Old World. Belle was once again pulled from her focus on Rumplestiltskin, this time by the shrill ringing of her phone. She answered it to find Pinnochio, distressed that he had taken Henry's beloved book apart and confused about how to put it back together again. She rolled her eyes. _Honestly_.

She left the Diner, a discreet wave to Rumple as she stood up, and left to spend the next several hours trying to fix the worn book.

News traveled fast in Storybrooke it seemed, especially when you had somehow, accidentally, befriended the next biggest gossip after Miss Lucas. Although Ms Duzeem, Belle thought, only talked so much when caught in conversation because the only other 'people' who listened were her cats. And Anna, of course. The three of them, minus the cats, were at the diner, Ms Duzeem ("can't you just call me Adina? Calling me 'Ms' all the time makes me feel old") going on about what had happened at the school when she was there giving a talk on proper pet care. ("Honestly, I'm a midwife but all people remember is that I own a half-dozen cats"). Kathryn had, at long last, learned of her husbands affair, and responded by slapping his mistress in the face, in front of a hallway filled with students, teachers and assistants. She was laughing about it now, Adina was.  
"It was awfully wicked of them, to pursue an affair behind Mrs Nolan's back. But it makes for fantastic entertainment."  
Belle wanted to disagree, but she would have _loved_ to see Snow White get slapped.  
"Oh look." Anna was trying to direct the conversation to more 'respectful' topics. "That stranger's come back on his motorcycle. I wonder what he wants?" Adina shrugged, refocusing on her meal, and Belle turned back to face the them - on her way 'round she caught a glimpse under the table, of their ankles entwined. The two of them together were adorable, and she hid a smile behind her mug of tea. Their relationship was far more fun to watch develop than Miss Blanchard's and Mr Nolan's; far to much drama between the pair of them. She listened as Pinocchio's engine revved up, and knew he was putting into place Phase One of Operation Cobra: Oak Tree. He was taking the Sheriff to the wishing well, that had a connection to the Lake Nostos of Old.

 

Leaving the Diner a couple of hours later, back to the Library after a dinner that lasted far too long, Belle was only paces behind Granny as she ran into Miss Blanchard. The pixie-haired brunette was reduced to tears by whatever the elderly widow said, but just as Belle was paces behind Granny, Irene was paces behind Miss Blanchard. As was habit for the old weaver, she drew the young school teacher into a hug.  
"Oh! Who are you?"  
Belle smirked as she walked past them, leaving a friendly pat on Miss Blanchard's shoulder. _Fancy forgetting your own mother in law._ She shook her head with a smile. At least some people hadn't been change by the curse. _Of course Snow deserves to be treated that way: about time she got her come comeuppance._ The smile was gone. Perhaps some things would never change. She slipped off her heels and locked the Library doors, retreating all the way up the stairs to her new sanctuary. Belle sat with her back to the clock face for hours, meditating and willing the darkness away.

 

It was late afternoon when she came back to herself, her trance broken by Miss Blanchard's shrill voice as she yelled at Nolan. Belle frowned, and turned to the translucent glass. Nolan was cleaning Miss Blanchard's truck (why does she own a truck?), which had the word 'tramp' painted across the side in red, block letters. She couldn't read lips from this distance, but if all the tears were anything to go by then the two of them had broken up. She shook her head, and stood to stretch. At the edge of her vision was the Sheriff's yellow monstrosity, and Belle remembered what she was supposed to have done that morning. After a quick shower and change, she dashed outside, hair still wet, with the rusted box containing Henry's beloved book. Aware that Miss Swan would likely be there soon, she threw the box straight into the water (and that book that Pinocchio had broken and she had been forced to fix), and watched it float beneath the car. She turned back after that, rushing away from the bug as its owner turned the corner. She was met with Anna and Adina coming from the other direction, holding hands. They gestured to the Library, and she gestured that they might enter. She was in for another eyeful of their make-out sessions, it seemed.

 

Late at night she was awoken by a terrible bout of shaking that suddenly came upon her, and the feeling that something terrible had happened. At almost the same time, Regina had made use of Rumplestiltskin by the same way he had often made use of her, by having him do her dirty work. And not twenty-five minutes after all of that, Jim Groves came upon an accident at the edge of town, where a car had driven into a ditch. Its driver was missing.

-

Early the next morning Belle was contacted by Rumple (via a dove, gods knew where he got _that_ from), asking that she come to his cabin in the woods. Hesitant as she was to go to the place where he had beaten her father _half to death_ , she knew she had to go. From Rumple's handwriting, jagged and rushed, she could tell that whatever was going on was important. Upon arriving the place seemed deserted, and entered cautiously, listening for any stray sound, but got distracted by the blood stains still marking the floor. She knelt down to touch it, the Dark One within her desperate to inhale the scent of human blood, but before she got close enough she heard a loud thud. It came from beneath the floor and was quickly followed by another, and another. Then a trapdoor opened and Rumple's head popped out of the floor.  
"I thought I heard you come in. Well what are you waiting for dearie? Come see what I've caught in my mousetrap."  
The brunette was immediately concerned. Upon descending the old staircases, she realised the concern was well placed.  
"Rumple! I thought you said without the dagger or the curse you would no longer feel compelled to hurt people!"  
"I don't, dearie."  
"You have a woman tied to a chair, in a basement, in a cabin, in the middle of the woods! She's unconscious! Is that Mrs Nolan?"  
"Yes it is. And she's only here because Regina wanted something 'tragic' to happen to her."  
"Rumplestiltskin-"  
"-I haven't killed her, as you can see. Besides, if I refuse Regina something like this she'll become suspicious."  
"Coward."  
"Hey, there's no need for that."  
Belle shook her head at the crippled man beside her, and reached out a leg to prod the bound woman with her toe.  
"Well what are we supposed to do with her now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun Dun Dunnn.  
> Spoiler!!!  
> Who was miffed by the Winter finale? They've destroyed Rumbelle! Rumple's such a dick sometimes. Disappoint.


	17. Miners and Murders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for my super-long absence, there was a whole load of hospital issues and a bunch of stuff I'm not going to go into. To make it up to you guys, I'm gonna post two chapters today, so make sure you read them in the right order!!

**_Emma_ **

Things in Storybrooke had, at last, gotten a bit more interesting. It wasn't really that much of a _good_ interesting though. Things were only this way because her roommate had accidentally made herself a social pariah, not that anybody would do that on purpose, which meant that Emma had complaints coming in from every direction. The townspeople were angry, and told Emma to teach her roommate how to behave, the Mayor's death-glare quota for the Sheriff and the schoolteacher seemed to have increased, and Mary Margaret herself came home moping. Every. Single. Day. People insulted her behind her back, to her face, and had their children moved to other classes. It was all very distressing for the brunette, but Emma had learned to focus on other things, such as her son. Or her boyfriend. People (read, Ruby) might say it was pointless for them to take it slow when they had already 'done the deed', but that was once when the two of them needed to feel the other close to them. Now they wanted to do this relationship properly; as Graham kept on saying, they were courting each other. They would be respectful of each other, learn more about each other, and try not to make Mary Margaret more depressed. Their efforts probably didn't make much difference in the face of everything else, though.

The 'home-wrecker' was, at that moment, very foolishly standing in front of the whole diner trying to get their support, and it wasn't going well at all. Emma could see a good few glares going around, including a matching pair of smirks coming from Gold and that creepy Librarian who were having breakfast together (when did they start doing that..?). Even the town drunk wasn't fool enough to side with the poor woman. After she left the diner, Emma gave Graham a quick peck on the lips and followed her friend, curious about Miner's Day and ready give the other woman some perspective and support. The brunette was being uncharacteristically pessimistic, however. Then Emma was called away by an emergency, and she had to leave her friend to wallow in her misery.

The emergency was definitely of the 'actual emergency' kind. None of this 'there's a spotted dog in my yard' nonsense that Miss Ginger always called in. Graham arrived about five minutes after Emma did, since he hadn't yet finished his breakfast when the call came in, and Glass was just behind him. The car that had been driven into a ditch belonged to Kathryn Nolan, and Glass immediately started theorising, and she made eye contact with Graham in time to catch him rolling his eyes. She smirked at him as the reporter glared at their antics, but the blonde just raised an eyebrow as she popped open the trunk. But the sight inside made the trio's smiles fall: nobody ditched their car _and_ their luggage and then kept going. Something was wrong. Glass offered his newspaper services to help with the case as Graham called out a warning: the husband had arrived.

-

Graham himself was concerned. Princess Abigail was missing, no doubt taken by the Queen, and the way things were looking, even this early on, it seemed that King James would be taking the fall. And if he went down, presumably for murder, he would be shipped out of Storybrooke, where he would have an accident and most likely die. That would have two royals down before the curse had broken, and Snow White would be devastated upon receiving (realising?) the news. He frowned to himself. There wasn't really much they could do. There were only two people in town with the power to oppose the Mayor. The first was the Librarian and her shady ownership of the town, which was no good against an Evil Queen that would do anything to get her way; it wasn't like Belle could evict her. Stepping lightly was even more of a necessity because Regina couldn't learn that Belle remembered. The second person was Mr Gold, who had made deals with most everybody in town at some point, so most of them owed him favours. Unfortunately Rumplestiltskin didn't remember, and Belle was still in the process of winning Gold over, hence the breakfast. He would be no help to them.

Similar thoughts ran through Emma's head, minus all the magic curses. With only two people in the Sheriff's department they couldn't effectively search for Kathryn, and if Nolan hadn't done it (and she didn't think he had), that could be very difficult to prove if someone was attempting a frame job. She watched as David stepped out of his truck, and approached him to give him the news. His reaction would tell her whether or not he was involved in the possible crime. When she told him about his wife, he seemed pretty shocked, and by pretty she meant very. She knew when people were telling the truth, and he was.

Later that day, at the weird whatever-it-was the town was throwing for Miner's Day, Emma had to spend forty-five minutes traipsing around, visiting all the booths to figure out where Glass had gotten to. She needed something to counteract her bad news, that Kathryn never showed up at her law school. Something bad had happened. The tense moment was interrupted by Mary Margaret and Leroy, of all people, the former wanting to know how to make herself look more sympathetic. A woman was missing, but scarf placement remained as important as ever. Glass seemed pretty convinced that the schoolteacher was a possible suspect but Emma shut him down. She knew her roommate; there was no way she was involved. She was selling candles for the nuns for Pete's sake.

Glass arrived at the Station later in the evening rather unexpectedly, interrupting the discussion Emma and Graham were having about likely suspects in the disappearance of Mrs Nolan. The blonde was surprised to find that the Irishman agreed that Regina was involved at least a little, either encouraging the crime or manipulating the people involved in some way. The evidence that Glass had brought suggested that David had lied about talking with his wife the day of the accident, which had her immediately concerned. If she'd missed that, what else had she missed? She put it off for a few hours, just staring at the phone records, Graham just staring at her. Regina came in late in the night to hurry them along, giving Graham an extra long stare before leaving. But Emma knew that eventually she would have to move the case forwards, so she went and collected the only suspect she had.


	18. Baskets and boxes, princes and wolves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you guys noticed, but the two chapters I posted last week had a bit of a large time gap between them. Turns out I had half-plans of most of the remaining chapters, but missed three out and completed the wrong chapter instead, and didn't notice because I'd spent so long away. Oops.  
> I've taken that chapter down, but that and the in-between chapters will be re-posted over the next few days. Sorry guys!!

**_Henry_**

Henry frowned. Things weren't going according to plan. The curse wasn't broken, and they weren't any closer to figuring out what to do. Lady Belle was stumped, and totally distracted by her sort-of-boyfriend who couldn't even remember who she was. And The Huntsman and Pinocchio weren't any closer to getting the Saviour to believe. They needed to step up their game, but it was hard to do when so much was going on. Snow White was all distressed and stuff 'cause people hated her, and Prince Charming had actually been taken in for questioning after Princess Abigail had disappeared, like he'd ever want to hurt her. The Evil Queen had enjoyed telling him all about that. She didn't seem at all upset that her 'friend' was missing. Henry wondered if she had been like this back in the Enchanted Forest, so cruel and uncaring and heartless. Had she always been this way? What had caused it? Had she ever loved anyone back there? Had she ever loved _him_? 

He usually tried not to think about stuff like that. 

And now even Red Riding Hood was having trouble. She'd fought with Granny and quit, and Snow had invited her into her home like Red did for her back in the Old World. But she still needed work, so he was using the station's computer to find her some. The Huntsman kept on laughing behind his hand at some of the suggestions, but Henry thought she'd be an awesome bike messenger. She'd even get her own basket. She wasn't impressed, and kept giving The Huntsman a stare when he laughed. The phones rang again and she asked why, so Henry explained the machine they were using.  
"Why doesn't Graham answer the phone? He works here."  
"I'm off-duty at the moment."  
"Then why are you here?"  
"He's waiting for Emma."  
Red 'awwed' at The Huntsman as he glared at the little Prince, and then made some weird motion with her hand and a noise like a whip. Henry frowned. _Weird_. The phone rang again and it must have gotten really irritating for Red since she chose to answer it. The Huntsman stood up as Red said goodbye, and he swiveled in the chair to see the Saviour had returned to headquarters. Then she gave Red a job, but there was no little basket involved, so it didn't really count. Red left and Henry closed his eyes and pretended to be grossed out when The Huntsman kissed his mom, but then Snow walked in with a new adventure for the team. 

The Saviour didn't want to take him, so he secured the Book in a secret place before he had to leave. He had to meet with the Evil Queen soon. Before he left he told his mom about Red, so she would know that Red was super capable. He bet they were searching through the woods _right now_ and Red would use her super senses to find Charming and then the Saviour would believe and everything would be fine. Okay, so she probably wouldn't believe _that_ easily. His 'mom' left after a while, off to the Hospital. The Evil Queen was going to get in the way of the investigation again. 

\- 

**Ruby**

Ruby picked up the phone, ready to clear Pongo of any suspicion Miss Ginger might be placing him under. Things were more serious than that, though, and she was sent by the Sheriff to the Toll Bridge, to look for clues. They had to know if David had been there. So she took the battered old bug and went down by the water to look for anything strange. After a moment she smelled something over all the dirt and the fish and the trees. Blood, but also perfume? Ruby spun on the spot, searching for uneven ground like she'd done it a thousand times before. _There_. She leaped forwards to the disturbed dirt and used her hands to dig at the wet mud, scooping it out of the way. The smell of blood and flowery perfume got stronger, and her hands hit something solid. She reached into the newly dug hole and pulled out some kind of box. _If Graham wasn't so busy doing whatever it was at the Library then he would be here and I wouldn't have dirt under my claw-fingernails. Fingernails._ She had called the Sheriff after she got out the car, but didn't mention the box before she flipped the lid. 

She wished she had after the little unassuming box was open. After a brief pulse of red light Ruby registered the heart, and began to scream. The box went back onto the mud, lid closed where she couldn't see it. She took it back to the Station following Emma's direction, barely able to breathe. She couldn't take this sort of thing. So she quit; she had to go home. 

It felt like she had found a lost part of herself. With Emma as her lemur it felt like she had come back into her true being. Everything was okay in her life now. 

Except for the fingerprints. 

Ruby had just given Emma the evidence she needed to make an arrest in the now-murder case of Mrs Kathryn Nolan. The evidence needed to arrest Mary Margaret. 


	19. The Cabin in the Woods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rumbellllllle

**Rumplestiltskin**

Gold tapped his cane against the wooden floor boards. Belle might be the Dark One now, but she was still willing to sit around and play chess with their prisoners. He rolled his eyes. When Kathryn had tried to leave Storybrooke, Gold had called on Jefferson to help carry her to the cabin. The Hatter, as he had once been, had remembered his true self for the full twenty-eight years of the curse (or so he claimed), and was willing to help with Rumplestiltskin's harebrained schemes if they would get him his daughter back. The pawnbroker had been expecting a little more help than that, perhaps Jefferson would like to watch her whilst he was away. But the Hatter (now with a 'Mad' in front of the 'Hatter') didn't really cope well with people, the outside, or the world in general. So he had called in the only ally he had; Belle. Of course she was still upset that he had refused to join young Henry's Operation Rattlesnake or whatever it was, but he doubted the other members would really appreciate the help of the supposed Dark One. Besides, it benefited him more if no one knew he remembered. So for now all he had was Belle, who was slowly leading Mrs Nolan into checkmate.

In order to frame Miss Blanchard for the crime Regina had needed evidence for the death that she believed had occurred, which had meant they needed to fabricate some. Gold had therefore spent almost all his time from when the scandalous affair was revealed until the terrible crash trying to transform the magical energy his potion ingredients had into something he could consume. The result was just enough magic to remove the poor woman's heart, still beating, from her chest. Non-believers wouldn't see it pulsing before the curse was broken, so as long as Regina didn't decide to see her prize then they would be fine. As long as they got the heart _back_ before the morgue incinerated it. Belle had tasked her new friend The _Huntsman_ with that, leading him to believe Regina had torn it out and they needed it back before she destroyed it. As Deputy it would have been easy enough for him, had his Sheriff not sent it off for testing.

For now, at least, the once-Princess was safe. It had taken a lot to convince her to remain calm, and the two had told her they would explain it all soon. She didn't seem convinced, so she spent all of her time either unconscious or under close guard, but as soon as he had found a way to break the curse on her they would be fine. No doubt Miss Swan was the key. _She brought The Huntsman's memories back with a kiss, but they were already developing feelings, and we can't really get her to kiss the woman who was recently murdered. Perhaps if he..._  
"Rumple? Weren't you supposed to be at the pawn shop around now?"  
"Oh yes, of course. Don't you need to open up the Library?" Belle glanced at her watch.  
"Oh, yes." Then she reached out and grabbed the syringe close at hand. With a sinister smile she plunged it right into the blonde's arm, sending her into a drug induced slumber. "Goodnight Kathryn." They closed up the cabin and made sure Kathryn was out of sight before Gold went to his Cadillac.  
"I think you enjoyed that a bit too much, dearie."  
The brunette shrugged in response. "It's the little things in life."

-

The pawn shop, as per usual, was duller than death. But at least from the window he could see the Library. It had very quickly become a favourite pastime, made that much more fun by the fact that Belle now watched the pawnshop from the Library windows. The only regular visitors to the Library remained Zelena and her little _girl_ friend and all the main players of Operation Cobra, minus the Saviour. Today it seemed that young Henry and Pinocchio, who had somehow escaped the curse, were up to something. They were glancing out the windows at his shop more often than Belle was. He shook his head and checked one of the many clocks in his store. Time to pay the Sheriff and the accused a visit.

Miss Blanchard warmed up to the idea of him as her lawyer rather quickly, and he even got the opportunity to gloat about beating French for stealing the Dagger. The schoolteacher even went so far as to send her roommate away, who managed to slip a threat in as she went. He should probably stop doing favours for Snow White for such a low price. He'd ask her to find Belle's Dagger hidden in her apartment, but it would be a bit suspicious to ask her to find a sharp knife that was hidden in her home, especially considering the circumstances surrounding the last knife found there.

As per usual, Snow White didn't have anything of much use to say. There were a lot of proclamations of innocence, more than a few complaints, and even one or two 'Regina is framing me's. She asked far too many questions and gave far too few answers, and had Gold not orchestrated the kidnapping of Kathryn Nolan himself at the insistence of the Mayor, he would have believed Miss Blanchard responsible. She lost points just for how shrill her voice became when she was upset.

Late in the evening, when he was back in his shop and fiddling with the many enchanted object brought over by the curse, he was once again visited by the Sheriff. The blonde had, at last, caught on to Regina's malicious personality, and her hatred of all things Miss Blanchard. She now knew the Mayor was setting the other woman up, but had no proof. _Well at least she sees her dark personality_. Perhaps she'd go on a wild goose chase after evidence Glass and Mills would ferret away before she got to it.

A short time later, after dark had fallen, Gold was back at the old cabin. He was surprised to find Jefferson there staring at the prisoner and tapping on the hat he held on his knee.  
"Jefferson. What are you doing here?"  
"This is pointless Rumplestiltskin! What help is kidnapping someone going to be for breaking the curse?"  
"You know I only did it because Regina insisted and-"  
"-Oh yes, because the Dark One is so pure of heart! What happens when she finds out Princess Abigail isn't really dead and plays like her mother? What happens when she has another puppet under the influence of a stolen heart. You know she already has The Huntsman! Not that that bothers your little girlfriend, she's still all 'buddy buddy' with him even as he corrupts the bloody Saviour!"  
Several times Gold tried to interrupt the angry tirade, as Mrs Nolan watched on in mounting panic and confusion.  
"Jefferson, you need to calm down-"  
"Calm down!? CALM DOWN!?! I WANT MY GOD-DAMN DAUGHTER BACK, GOLD!! SHE STOLE HER FROM ME! She doesn't even remember who I am, who she is. But I'll make her remember, yes I will. First I have to get Miss Swan to see the truth, then I'll get my daughter back, yes I will."  
By this point Jefferson was mumbling to himself and collecting all of the hats he had scattered around the little wooden compartment under the cabin. Then he climbed the steps, and left completely.  
"Yes, I'll make her see. The Saviour has to understand that I need my daughter back."  
Then he was gone, leaving Mrs Nolan huddled at the back of her cage. Gold shook his head at the madness, tipped his head and retreated back up the stairs to the main body of the cabin as well, swinging the trap door shut as he went.

He found Belle stood by the front door in shock.  
"Was that the Hatter again? What did he want?"  
"To tell us that we aren't breaking the curse fast enough."  
Gold sighed as he pulled up a chair, and watched as Belle stoked the dying fire, resetting and relighting it to last a few more hours.  
"Well it's true Rumple. I thought we'd have the curse broken long ago."  
"And we would, Belle, if that bloody Swan woman was more open to the truth."  
His hand tightened around the handle of his cane, but he was brought out of his momentary rage by Belle's hand on his.  
"Don't worry Rumple. The curse will be broken soon, and then we can go and find your son."  
"We?"  
"Yes. Tell me about him?"  
So Gold did, all of the little stories and anecdotes that he could remember about his Baelfire. He talked until the embers in the fireplace had died down and Belle was asleep in her armchair.

He didn't think she'd noticed that her hand had stayed in his the entire time.


	20. Round, like a circle in a spiral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for OUAT in Wonderland, which I do not own.  
> Also, Windmills of your Mind. Good song.

**Jefferson**

Tick

Tick

Tick

Tick

Tick

Most people in Storybrooke didn't know that Jefferson Barnes was alive, or even that he had ever existed. They all assumed the mansion in the woods was abandoned, owned by one of the founders of Storybrooke. They didn't know that Storybrooke _had_ no founders, and every last one of them, with the exception of the Mayor's son and his birth mother, had been there the moment it was created. Not built over time, literally created, within seconds. He had been modifying a hat, so certain he was on the brink of success. The Knave of Hearts had been beside him, complaining about how dull Wonderland was now that Alice was gone, never mind Alice's fiance had been murdered and no wonder she didn't want to stick around. Then he blinked, and when he opened his eyes he was watching little people dance inside some freaky little box.

Tick

They'd heard about the curse in Wonderland, of course, but everyone believed that it was either fake, or not going to reach them. As soon as he'd heard of it Jefferson had known the curse would come to Wonderland, simply because the Evil Queen wanted to continue his punishment.

Tick

_"Do this one last favour for me."_

Tick

So for the past twenty-eight years he'd been trapped in a town where days kept repeating and where the only people who knew he was alive thought he was insane. In the early years he had tried to approach his daughter Grace, but she was Paige now and she didn't have a clue who he was. Over time he took to watching her from afar.

Tick

People did crazy things when they thought no one was watching, but what they didn't know was that he was _always_ watching. Before the eighteen year mark of the curse, Jefferson had created a schedule of the entire town's day. It took up all the walls in a decent sized room, but it wasn't like he was using it for anything. His paintings were all on another floor. He'd put a lot of effort into figuring out who everyone used to be based on the many people he had met, and he had most of the town figured out, with the exception of a few, by the time the Saviour had arrived.

Tick

Jefferson had hoped her presence would be enough to break the curse, but it wasn't. Then it was meeting her mother, then standing up to the Mayor, then kissing The Huntsman, reuniting Cinderella and her Prince, teaming up with Rumplestiltskin... None of it worked, because the Saviour didn't BELIEVE! How could she not think the curse was true? It was so obvious! The clock tower had been frozen until she chose to stay. People's personalities were morphed after being over exposed to her. No one could remember anything specific about people or places or events. Not to mention the fact that The Huntsman himself had said 'I remember' before nearly dying of a heart attack, _aged twenty nine_. Surely the Princess had more sense than to dismiss all of this, surely her son could make her see?

Tick

But no-o. Of _course_ she didn't. She was off gallivanting with her son, getting absolutely _nothing_ done, whilst he was trapped in this empty mansion with only his cursed self, watching his daughter through a bloody _telescope_. And Rumplestiltskin wasn't getting anything done either, no he wasn't. One would think the Dark One would be able to get things done, but he was _far_ to busy seducing the Librarian to do _anything_ at a reasonable pace. He was being too _damn SLOW_. The curse should have been broken by now; Jefferson was going to have to take drastic action, something that would have more effect than stealing Charming's fake wife and hiding her in a basement. He would steal the Saviour's mother, then she'd _have_ to listen to him. He'd make her believe, or he would kill her. They'd have the same outcome, after all.

Tick-Tick-Tick

The Fair Queen was outside in his woods, probably the result of one of the Evil Queen's skeleton keys. It didn't take much to grab her, just a nice solid branch. And with any luck her daughter would be right behind her, Deputy preferably not in tow. And he wasn't, of course he wasn't. The broken little Saviour didn't trust her precious boyfriend that much just yet. _The curse would_ never _break if she didn't trust her allies_. The Hatter jumped in front of the car, the ugliest vehicle he had seen yet. And the Saviour was easily led back to his mansion, desperate enough to accept his help, sorry enough to offer her own. _As easy as drugging a noblewoman, this_.  
"I'll just put on some tea."  
He caught his grin in the shine of the microwave oven, rivaling that of that damn purple cat.

Tick

In the time it took to sing about the tea-trays, the Saviour was passed out on his couch. He trussed he up and set her out, and got ready for the real work to start. He was gone for a moment and by then she'd escaped, but it wouldn't take much to find her again.

Tick.

He thought she might have seen him as he sharpened his scissors, as the door was more open than it had been before.

Tick.

She was probably on her way to find her mother. He did so need her to do that, after all.

Tick

He found them in the first prisoner's room, both of them free but not very quiet. He had been much better at it when he escaped from the Queen of Hearts.

Tick

He got his gun and put his black rabbit back in her run, and took the swan away again. He did hope she knew how to make a hat.

Tick

Not that she had a choice, of course.

Tick-Tick

_Into the hat house,_  
 _To make us some hats,_  
 _Sing to the Dormouse,_  
 _And dance with the Cat._

He gave her the scissors and set her to work, counting the moments until he had his Gracie back.

Tick

_Perhaps you're the one that's mad._

Tick-Tick

She stared for a while, at all of his tools, or it might have been far longer than that, and _how arrogant was she to think hers was the only one_ , but it took to long for her to pick them up.

Tick

He gave her scissors and she ruined his fabric, but he would let her if it worked. She kept on talking, she talked more than March, but he'd let her if it worked. _Hadn't he already said that?_ If it works, if it works, just if it works.

Tick

_"You don't abandon family."_

_"I'll be back in time for-"_

_"-Off with his-"_

_"-riouser and curiouser."_

_"_ Get _it to work."_

Tick-Tick-Tick

She couldn't make it work but she had to, he showed her Grace so she would understand but she didn't, she _didn't_. She was understanding, seeing his truth and his curse. Now she knew she had to help him, she would break it, she would set his baby free.

She believes, she believes. The woman in the other room is her mother, maybe it's right, I have to start believing. Get it to work, get it to work.

Tick

He turns to his hat and she hits his head, and then the swan runs back to the rabbit's cage.

Tick-Tick

_The chase is on,_  
 _He follows behind,_  
 _She has the gun  
_ _He has his mind._

Tick

Then he had the gun, and he twitches his neck, and these bad little rabbits will have to _learn their lessons_ , but then he's hit and he's flying and he's out the window before he can breathe.

Tick

He hits his hat, and suddenly he's falling all over again. He hits the roof, and she made it work but in a _bloody LOOP_. This is where she wants him to be.

Tick

He'll never leave, trapped forever, he wants his Grace, Grace, Grace.

Tick

He watches them go, back in the bug, the hat in the car. They don't leave it behind so he can't keep it with him, and now he can't use it, he'll never be free.

Tick-Tick-Tick

He resets his telescope and checks on his Grace, and the Evil Queen checks on her greatest foes. _Still there, still there, the Queen remains._ And Rumplestiltskin scares her away, the Deputy spinning on the spinning chair. And Grace is going down the street, to school, to school.

Tick

She's friends with the Evil Queen's son, but he can't change that.

But then the Saviour looks at the Prince's book, and perhaps he's done his work. He sees her look at the Hatter's pages, and she sees the truth, she starts to believe, she starts to believe. She holds on to it, she had the book, she believes, she believes, he'll have his Grace, the Saviour believes.

Tick

Tick

Tick

Tick

_Tock_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have borrowed Bucky Barnes' name. I regret nothing.


	21. A Golden Goose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The accidentally posted chapter :))

**Belle**

Belle tapped her pen against the reference desk. Regina, no doubt in an attack upon Rumplestiltskin, was suggesting to the town council that the Library be closed. It wouldn't work, of course, but it did mean there was a depressing amount of paperwork. At least it gave her somewhere to look other than at Anna and Adina, whose relationship had progressed to the point they just leaned against each other, twirling the other's hair and exchanging little kisses. It was very distracting. At least with Pinocchio there they didn't do anything _too_ adorable. He did enjoy teasing the two of them. And when young Henry walked in, they stopped completely. He asked too many questions, and had no qualms about unabashedly staring at the two of them. They left after about five minutes of him sat at the table with them, flicking though his fairy tale notes and trying to figure out who they were. His gaze always made them uncomfortable.

After they'd gone, either back to Adina's farmhouse or Anna's loft, Henry turned to her with a wide grin. Belle sighed. No paperwork would be done today. She almost wished she was with Rumple, who was trying to convince Sheriff Swan and The Huntsman to allow Snow to participate in a pre-court interview with the district attorney. Rumple had had another one of his visions; Snow would break, and her temper would get the best of her. For some reason this was a good thing.

As much as Belle wanted Snow to suffer (her personality truly could be unbearable), she knew that was a part of herself she had to ignore. But if Rumple thought it would help then it would happen, and Henry would just have to wait for his mother to get a move on. At the moment he was not being patient at all, hopping about and waiting for the brunette to join them at the table. She rolled her eyes and relocated, waiting to see what ridiculous plan they had come up with now.  
"We need to find proof!" The boy didn't waste anytime, immediately yelling and disturbing the shy young Donnie Lerant, who wanted to check out a book on the migration of deer. Belle sorted out the young schoolboy and sent him on his way, and then rejoined Pinocchio and Henry at the table.  
"Proof of what?"  
"Proof that the Evil Queen killed Princess Abigail!"  
 _She's in Rumplestiltskin's basement..._ "Well, since the box and the fingerprints are Miss Blanchard's, perhaps you should see how the box ended up in the dirt?"  
"Of course! Mom has a shovel in her garage, I bet she used that! Come on August, let's go!" Henry was out of his seat in seconds, knocking it to the floor, and then rushing out of the Library.  
"How do you know this much about the case?"  
"Graham keeps me informed. Make sure _you're_ the one that tells Sheriff Swan to investigate further; I fear she never truly listens to her son."  
Pinocchio nodded and followed the boy out of the door. Belle got to work setting her Library back to rights after Hurricane Henry, and then locked up for a quick break. Funny how nobody complained when she closed it for hours on end. No wonder the council was considering closing it permanently. _With any luck the curse will be broken soon, and then we'll all have bigger things to worry about._

-

In no time at all Belle was at _Spinning Yarns_ , in time to bump into Mother Superior and Sister Astrid. It seemed the former was trying to teach the latter about poise and patience with the wonders of knitting. _That will never work, not while Dreamy is sorting out the building's electrics._ Belle received a glare from the Blue Fairy, who she remembered very well from the _Jellyfish_ incident all those years ago. But the glaring contest was interrupting when Irene once again swooped in with a bone-crushing hug.  
"Ellena! Welcome back, I haven't seen you here since Miss Blanchard was first arrested!"  
"That was less than a week ago, Irene."  
"Oh yes. I forget. Events in this town seem to blur together in my mind."  
 _Yes, I wonder why that is._  
"Come on through Ellena, I have the wheel already set up."  
Since Belle did not own a spinning wheel of her own, she continued with her weekly lessons with Ruth in this world, and she had improved somewhat since the Old World. Her wool was consistent now, if not of very high quality. _I'll show Rumple when the curse is broken, and we don't have to hide from Regina anymore._ The spinning was relaxing, and Belle stayed for two hours, forgetting all of her concerns. Or, at least, most. The Rheul Ghorm's whiny voice in the next room as she attempted to instruct her student only reminded the Dark One of her struggles in the Forest to follow the path of good, and how the curse had reset all of her efforts. _Why could Rumple not have seen that, instead of Miss Blanchard's hissy fit?_

Upon her return to the Library, Belle found Graham who informed her that Emma was on the hunt for evidence to bring down Regina. _Being buddies with the Deputy has its perks._ No doubt Glass and the Mayor would have removed the evidence by morning. Belle sighed, waving Graham away and back to the station. _These things never work. But at least it got them all out of my hair. And the Saviour knows the Queen is evil_. After Library closing time she went to the diner, where she would meet Rumple, to tell him of the developments to Operation Cobra. He wasn't impressed she was a part of it, hence his continued reluctance to join, but having talkative allies in high places was very convenient.

He was already there by the time she arrived, early as per usual. She got a few glares when she walked in, which increased when she went and joined 'Gold' in her booth. Either people thought both of them were evil, or they thought she was evil and had control of him. _I wonder what they'll think of us after the curse is broken. Perhaps they'll try to save me._ Belle smirked as she sat down.  
"Something funny, dearie?"  
"Nothing at all. Just happy to be here." She gave him a genuine smile, or as close as she could, and in no time at all they were talking about the curse, and the Library and the pawn shop. Rumple was making quips, and pretending they weren't funny, and things were almost like they were back home. Then they became more like they were back home.  
"I think, dearie, that you should probably stop speaking with Ms Duzeem. You know she wasn't a good person back before the curse."  
"Neither were we, Rumple. Why do you always have to try and control me!?"  
"I'm not controlling you dearie, I'm just suggesting-"  
"-You aren't suggesting, you're insisting. Even with out that damn dagger you act like you control me!" Belle was glad they'd been there longer than she thought; they were the only patrons left, now.  
"I don't belong to you Rumple, you need to understand that."  
"I do, dearest, I do. But she's a dangerous woman and-"  
"Do I need to fetch my crossbow to split you two up?"  
By this point Belle was in the middle of the diner with her finger pointed at Rumple, and he had stood as well, leaning over the table with the support of his cane. Granny was stood between them with her hands on her hips, Miss Lucas behind the counter smothering a glass with a dish cloth.  
"No thank you Granny, I think that's everything. Any thing more you want to say, Ru-Gold?"  
He seemed too hesitate for a moment, before "Free the golden goose, dearie, at seven before the witching hour. Set her by the den of wolves."

Needless to say Belle returned to her apartment confused.

What the hell was the 'golden goose', and what kind of time frame was 'seven before the witching hour?' She fell asleep before she figured it out.

-

She figured it out at three the next afternoon, walking through the park, looking for geese at the pond. She saw Mr Chrysos, the owner of the bank, feeding the ducks. _That used to be King Midas, the King with a Golden Touch._ And in one of the original versions, he turned his daughter to solid gold, _making her the golden goose!_ The brunette immediately turned after that, right past Anna and Adina calling to her from their picnic blanket. The witching hour was usually midnight, and seven hours before that was 5 'o' clock. The wolf den had to be Granny's Diner, owned by two werewolves. It would take half an hour to walk to the cabin, at least as long to convince Kathryn to keep her silence, and then half an hour to sneak her through town.

Belle had almost hit the tree line when the police cruiser caught up with her, and the brunette hoped to hell that it wasn't the Sheriff. It wasn't.  
"Graham, I don't have time for this. I'm in a hurry."  
"I should imagine you are, I am as well. Emma doesn't know I'm gone. But you said you wanted it as soon as I found it." He pulled a red lump out of his jacket pocket, and Belle watched as it pulsed with light. "I managed to snag it before the morgue incinerated it. I'm glad they didn't cut into it. Now that we have it instead of the Queen's henchmen, maybe we'll be able to find Princess Abigail." He handed the heart over.  
"I'll get right on it." The Huntsman nodded, before hopping back in his cruiser and returning to the Station.

_Well. This will certainly make getting her to do what I want that much easier._

As soon as she reached the cabin Belle went to the basement, kneeling in front of the battered woman and her cage.  
"Kathryn. I want you to forget everything that has happened since you crashed your car. I am going to take you to Granny's Diner. At ten minutes past five, I want you to scream. All you remember from the last few days is a dark room, and food delivered at meal times. You never saw anyone. Do you understand?"  
Kathryn nodded, entranced by her heart.  
"Good." Belle went to the cabinet attached to the wall and removed a syringe, containing one of the Hatter's concoctions. It put someone into a deep unconscious state, but made them aware enough to follow simple commands. The brunette bundled up the blonde in warm clothes, covered her in convincing dirt, injected her, tucked away the heart in her bag, and then led the supposedly-dead woman out of the woods, through the back alleys, and into the car park behind Granny's Diner. She went back around and arrived inside the Library door just in time to hear Kathryn scream. She smiled.

Success.

She carefully ascended the staircase, sure she wouldn't be disturbed when everyone nearby was distracted by the live murder victim, and surveyed the room behind the clock face. Finding the right panel on the wall she pulled it back, and slipped Kathryn's heart inside. _Graham on the left, Kathryn on the right._ Hopefully she would be able to return them soon, before the Saviour realised her boyfriend was incapable of love.

 

She went to bed early that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rumple likes to be difficult.  
> And what even happened to Kathryn's heart?


	22. Puppets on strings

_**Rumplestiltskin** _

Rumplestilstkin glanced behind himself, sure that he had heard something. He brushed it off, but then a dizziness overcame him. In about two minutes one August 'Pinocchio' Booth was going to break into his shop. Well, he'd show him what it meant to mess with Rumplestiltskin. Within seconds young Henry Mills was bursting through the front of his shop, being overly loud and distracting so that he wouldn't notice the puppet in the back of his shop. Rumple chose to play along. Since the boy was pretending to get a gift for Miss Blanchard, he suggested random objects Snow White would have liked, such as keepsakes that had belonged to Queen Eva. He managed to get rid of the boy with a little keepsake, then got through to the back of the shop to scare puppet away. _Looking for maps. Very convincing._

Regina came storming in short hours later, angry that their definitions of the word 'tragedy' differed so drastically. _I'm not the Dark One anymore dearie; my view of the world has changed._ He fiddled with the ball he had been fixing up before the Queen barged on, reminiscing about the last time his boy kicked it about. He placed it back on its shelf when it became clear that Regina was in no hurry to leave, as she tried to appeal to his better side. She might think that they had been together in this from the start, but they hadn't. This whole thing had started _long_ before she existed, and his only ally was Belle. And since Regina had once tried to murder Belle, and was currently trying to close down her Library, Rumple was in no mood to assist her. He did manage to get rid of her eventually, by returning to his counter and leveling a glare. He may no longer have his scales and his magic, but he did still have his death glare. Just because it no longer brought _death_ didn't mean it didn't bring _fear_. With a jaunty wave from him she was gone, with an angry slam of his door. He smirked to himself.

-

By evening he had closed up his pawn shop, and instead invaded the one place Regina would never dare tread; Snow White's apartment. A party was going on, to welcome her home, and Gold had unfortunately been invited. Belle was here too, thankfully, since she went where she pleased, and they both got to enjoy the awkwardness of the card the children gave their school teacher. Belle glared when he snorted into his drink. Henry had been watching them as he talked to Pinocchio earlier, and he could feel the curiosity in his gaze. The Sheriff approached him after she cleared her son away, and he began to question her about Booth. Then she walked off back to her boyfriend, but he knew the puppet had seen the conversation. No doubt he was starting to believe that Gold believed him. _He_ will _be in for a surprise._  
"What are we going to do to him Rumple? Will we punish him?"  
"Isn't he your friend, dearie?"  
"Oh yeah..."  
"Hmm. Perhaps you should go and talk to someone else. People are starting to stare."  
"Fine."  
Belle stalked off. Perhaps that hadn't been the right thing to say to her.

-

His plan did not involve murder. Instead it involved breaking into the puppet's room at Granny's, which he did very adeptly. He searched the room, and found the one thing he really didn't want to. A picture of the Dagger. If it wasn't for the aforementioned friendship between the little marionette and his dearest Belle then the man would be paying for this. But a little threatening would have to do. Perhaps a little emotional torture; Marco was available for manipulation, after all. For now he followed the man to the convent, and watched as he spoke with Mother Superior. Gold considered going to speak with her, but decided against it. He didn't want to do anything that involved speaking with the gnat. Then he considered going to the cricket, but he was not likely to be of use.

Instead he waited until nightfall, and tracked the puppet down to outside his own cabin in the woods. Booth was wandering, waiting. Then he caught sight of Gold in his suit, and the younger man threw out a word he had no right to say to Rumplestiltskin.  
"Papa."  
Gold stared at him, anger hidden behind his mask, as he spoke the words he planned to one day speak to his son. Booth acted well, but Gold was better. He could actually feel tears in his eyes, as he begged for forgiveness. _Without the Dagger, showing weakness did not seem as much like weakness._ It sickened him to embrace the leather-clad man though, as he called him son, and the other called him Papa.

It was clear that Booth was after the Dagger, so Rumple took him to the location of the fake Dagger that he had buried among the trees and dirt. He didn't need to know that the Saviour had the real one. He offered it out to the conman, and as expected he seized it, and turned it on Gold.  
"Dark One, I command thee."  
Then Rumplestiltskin dropped his mask, and allowed another to take its place. Rage, darkness, and hate. He imagined how Belle would feel to have the Dagger used against her in this way, and played it well. With just a few words he conveyed the danger that Booth now found himself. It was, after all, a very sharp knife.  
"I already know who you are, Pinocchio. Nice try dearie. Now, how did you know _about this knife?_ "  
He saw the shock, and the fear. And the realisation.  
"Belle knows you remember?"  
"Not the answer to my question, dearie."  
The man didn't answer it at all. But at least now he knew why Booth was in such a rush. Almost in as much a rush as Rumplestiltskin.

_I will find him._


	23. A no-good, very bad day

**_Regina_ **

This was not how things were supposed to go. She had cast this curse to get her happy ending, but her beloved son was off with his birth mother, who was with _her_ mother, the traitorous Snow White. The whole point was that _that_ woman was as miserable as can be, but she wasn't currently in jail as Regina had hoped. She was at _home_. A tragedy was a _tragedy_ , what was so difficult to understand about _that!? I'll show_ him _a tragedy, bloody Rumplestiltskin. We'll see if he's still smirking when his little_ maid _is in danger._ Not to mention, of course, that the Swan woman had threatened to take Henry from her. She'd already stolen The Huntsman, she wasn't going to take her son too. _But who first, the Swan or the Princess?_ The Mayor power walked to her office, since she was already desperately late, and saw both women as they came out of the diner. Sheriff Swan turned left (giving her Deputy a quick peck as he passed to go into the Diner), and Miss Bouquin went right, and across the road to her Library. _Screw being late_ , she thought, _I've made my choice._ She crossed the road as well and followed the brunette. 

"Miss Bouquin, good morning." Regina gave her best smile, eyes cold and teeth bared.  
The Librarian turned, clearly startled, but her shock quickly turned into quiet rage, her raised eyebrows into a glare.  
"Can I help you, Madam Mayor?"  
"Oh, no you can't, Miss Bouquin. I'm just here to give you some forewarning; the City Council has made its decision. The Library will be closed at the end of this month."  
Regina remained a moment, to properly savour the look of horror on the other woman's face. _And here I thought she hated her job_. Then she pulled the paperwork from her bag, and threw it onto the reference desk. Having most everyone in town under her thumb certainly did have its perks.  
"What... No, you can't just close it down. I won't let you." The end of the sentence became a growl, and for the first time ever the Mayor considered that there may be more to this woman than she had first thought. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.  
"Let me? You can't _stop_ me. Perhaps you should have joined the town council, Miss Bouquin?" With a dark smirk and a raised eyebrow, the dark-brunette marched out the door, leaving the younger woman poring over the paperwork.

-

Regina arrived at the school later than she had hoped, but due to heading straight there instead of to the office first, as she had initially planned, she got there before first lesson began. Unfortunately, the only teacher in sight was Miss _Blanchard_. So the mask went on, the over-confident mayor and her sinister smile, and sauntered over to drop off Henry's lunch. She was not pleased to hear that he was with his _'mother'_. That criminal was _not his MOTHER!_ On the outside, Regina was perfectly calm, save for the eye-twitch in response to Blanchard's sickening smile. She was almost as infuriating as Snow White.  
"I forgive you."  
 _I have done nothing wrong, you stable boy killer._ The words affected her more than she let on, and she felt her voice almost break as she spoke with Henry. But her rage returned as Henry turned on her, and she frowned. How was he still supporting that ridiculous woman?

- 

Back in her office the anger and the hurt had not calmed any. Gold was helping the Swan woman for some reason, no doubt trying to infuriate her further for his own gain. She couldn't figure out how angering her would help the imp any, except helping Swan would further the breaking of the curse. _But_ why _does he want it broken?_ That she just _couldn't_ figure out. Perhaps it would get him his maid back, but she couldn't imagine that the foolish woman truly loved him at all. She shook her head. The only way to succeed was to stop the breaking of the curse. Ridding her self of the so called Saviour would take a lot of effort, so that would be a last resort. For now, she would keep Snow and her Prince apart, and prolong that harpy's misery. At the end of the work day, her master plan would begin.

-

'Charming' was surprisingly easy to reel in. All she had to do was hang around the store he was in until he came out, and feign engine trouble. Then he approached, after she accidentally hit her head on the bumper, and gave her a ride home. All the groceries were moved across, Regina got in the filthy truck, and they were on their way to the impressive mansion. Charming helped her carry her purchases inside, and phase two began, having him over for dinner. He was too polite to refuse after she 'found' a fake note saying that Henry would not be attending dinner. _3, 2, 1 and..._  
"I do love lasagna."

The over-dinner conversation was depressingly dull, and Regina almost wished she had poisoned it regardless of how impossible it would be to get away with her crime. Charming thankfully ate quickly, and the food was gone in no time at all. He helped with the dishes, and she cornered him in the kitchen. There had been a time when no man was immune to her seductive charms, but it seemed that in every realm Charming was incredibly resistant to such powers. After the awkward rejection she watched him go to the door, and waited until it closed before she flung her empty wine glass at her reflection. If he went back to Snow, all would be lost.

Regina sat in her study well into the evening, as she waited for her Henry to come home. He barely glanced at her before dashing upstairs, bag in hand and shoes on the stairs. She followed him to return the shoes, then stomped back to the quiet room to contemplate the curse over cider. Perhaps an hour after Henry's return the phone began to rang, and with a harsh eye-roll the Mayor picked it up.  
"Madam Mayor." A tinny voice came through with a heavy French accent, and Regina gave a strong sigh.  
"Miss Bouquin. What?"  
The next hour was filled with arguments over the fate of the Library, and the Mayor smirked as she could hear the rage grow over the phone.  
With a harsh insistence she thought she'd long ago lost Regina snapped "The Library's closing and that's that." And she slammed down the receiver. It cracked immediately, a pulse of energy spreading over the desk and disturbing the papers. _Which end of the phone did that come from? No, the maid doesn't... Looks like I still have magic after all._ Regina grinned, and stood. _Magic. Of course. That will fix everything._

Regina went upstairs, skipping over checking on Henry because she knew he wouldn't appreciate it, and went to bed. Over the next few days, big things were going to happen.

She could feel it.


	24. Beginning of the end

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're nearing the end of this installment, wohoo!!

**_Rumplestiltskin_ **

Rumplestiltskin blinked as a garish yellow blur passed in front of the white-tinted glass.  
"Dearie. Come and look at this."  
Belle walked over to join him, pushing the panel in the wall closed.  
"Oh my. Should we stop her? She's trying to leave."  
He looked down at his love, her bare feet giving him an even greater (but still small) advantage in height.  
"It's not like she can go far. The curse won't let her; by now it's too far gone _not_ to break. It wants this over as much as the rest of us", he told her, hoping it was true.  
Belle nodded, accepting it, and turned her gaze to the stars.  
"How much longer, do you think?"  
He kept his gaze on her as she asked, watching her eyes as they flitted between the stars.  
"Not long at all dearest. Before the Queen closes your Library, I'm sure."  
She turned her gaze on him, glancing at him sideways with a mock frown. "It better _had_ break before then. I don't know where I'd live if she took my Library away."  
Rumplestiltskin was so distracted watching her hand reach out to the hands of the great clock, that he didn't register his words until Belle had already gasped. "You could always come and live with me."  
Now his eyes were wide, and she was looking at him head on. "Live with you? Are you sure? Or are you joking?" The confusion was clear in her voice, and the spinner chose to take a chance.  
"Perfectly serious, dearie. If you want to."  
For a moment her face remained impassive, and he didn't think he could hold his breath any longer when she smiled, and reached out to give him a hug.  
"I would be happy to come and live with you. After the curse is broken?"  
"After the curse is broken", he confirmed with a nod. Then they both turned back to the stars, hands now entwined.

-

He saw Belle again the next morning at the diner, having left not long after their agreement. She was watching Miss Lucas chat with Graham, and upon seeing him gestured for him to come over.  
"The Saviour has chosen to stay."  
"That she has."  
"So now what do we do?"  
"We do nothing, dearie. Regina will ruin things for herself soon enough."

-

The woman herself barged into his shop just before noon, complaining about the ongoing demise of her apple tree. As though he cared a jot about that. He smirked as her rage grew, along with her confusion over _why_ he wanted the curse broken. After a moment, he was the one confused; it almost seemed like she actually cared for the boy. Then she tried to strike a new deal, and it was clear she was running out of ideas. He turned his back on her after passing on a threat, and listened as she gave up waiting (arms no doubt crossed, 'intimidating' glare in place) and stormed from his shop. He smirked. Now he just needed to wait for her to ruin it all.

-

It was the late afternoon when he felt it, the brief, swirling burst of magic. He couldn't tell where it came from, however, and could only hope that, like only days before, it was Belle. He closed his shop, not that anyone would notice, and hurried across the street to the Library. He burst through the doors to find Zelena reading at a table, Belle having disregarded the advice he gave concerning the redhead, but for once she was not joined at the hip to her little blonde girlfriend. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, although he didn't know what, Belle came out from the stacks, looking to see who had thrown open the Library doors with such force.  
"Rumple! What's wrong?" Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zelena raise her eyebrow at their sudden closeness, but his attention was brought back to Belle when she clutched at the front of his shirt. "Rumple?"  
"Please say that was you, dearie."  
"What was... oh. No, I... I'd assumed that was you?" Belle's eyebrows furrowed, her French accent dissipating for a moment and confusing Zelena further. Rumplestiltskin shook his head.  
"Regina" they spoke in unison.  
Hell and damnation! She wasn't supposed to have access to magic at this stage of the game. _Where did she even get it from?_  
"What has she done with it? Rumple?" He snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at the petite brunette.  
"Nothing so far, my Belle. But we'll know when she does. Perhaps even before she does." He tapped at his temple, right by his eye, and Belle nodded in response, at last realising her hold on his shirt and releasing it.  
With a few words of parting Rumplestiltskin left the Library to return to his shop. He had to get back to the store, hide the books, to find out what was going on.

As he was sorting through the dusty tomes in his store, his little bell cried out in protest again, and he hoped Regina hadn't summoned up her sparse magic to use against _him_. He turned with harsh words on his lips to have them die when his eyes fell on the Deputy.  
"Hunstman. Good afternoon. Still upset are we?" The man stormed over and slammed his hands onto the glass counter. "Going to take that one as a yes, dearie."  
 _Honestly. The whole of Operation Cobra had been angry at him and Belle both since he revealed himself to that ridiculous puppet the week before, just because they hadn't been told that he remembered._  
"What did you just do?"  
The shopkeeper frowned. "What do you mean?"  
"That magic August and I felt, what was it?"  
"Besides that it was magic, I have no idea. I should imagine it was Regina's doing. I wonder why you felt it?" _Perhaps because they remember?.._  
"Gold, would you-"  
He interrupted, wagging his finger in the other man's face. "Not my name, dearie."  
"Rumplestiltskin. Take this _seriously_."  
"Oh believe me Huntsman, I am. I want this curse broken and Regina beaten as much as you and your marionette friend, but right now there's not much we can do until the Saviour believes. So I suggest you go to her, and make sure that whatever spell the Queen has conjured up isn't for your little runaway." With a suspicious, but alarmed, frown the bearded man turned and made for the door, and just as it closed behind him the pawnbroker couldn't resist calling out "You might want to ask her about her running dearie. You'd be surprised."  
He gave a jaunty wave to the glare he got through the window.

He went to the diner after the Huntsman's visit, to see if he could gather intel. He had the opportunity to watch the Cricket as he spoke with the Saviour, and could see she was becoming more and more desperate. According to the law Emma would be an irresponsible mother, and even according to the Cricket she wasn't the best for him. But the timid man _was_ right. Regina was only being defensive, and hurting everyone but Henry. _Perhaps he_ shouldn't _let a mob have her when the curse was broken_. The young boy was hopelessly adorable, after-all. He watched Emma leave, but remained for some time. Then a wave of dizziness swept over him, one he couldn't fight. He could barely even breathe. He stood, swaying on his feet, and threw all the bills he had onto the table, not bothering to count.  
He staggered out the door, trying to prevent his oncoming vision from hitting before he was somewhere private. He forced it back as it got stronger, but the diner was not far from his store. He dropped his keys several times before getting them into the lock.

As soon as he stepped through the door he fell to his knees, and tried to prepare his mind for what would be the strongest vision so far in this realm. It wasn't enough, and he retched in response to the pain.  
He felt everything.

The sounds he heard were distorted, but he recognised voices before his floorboards disappeared and he opened his eyes into Miss Blanchard's apartment. He watched as the Sheriff stood in the kitchen, and her son walked through the door. There was a smell in the air that reminded him of apples, and he felt it as he backed into the table. He looked around, considering making the most of this opportunity to find the Dagger. But his attention was caught by the to other people as they started to argue. The words were still jumbled noises, but Henry seemed desperate, and Miss Swan wanted to leave. He frowned as the boy leaped for the pastry on the counter, exchanging heated words with his mother before taking a bite. Rumplestiltskin moved closer, riveted, as the boy swallowed. The blonde woman shook her head, but her pity turned to horror as the boy fell to the floor.

Then Rumplestiltskin opened his eyes.

He was lying on his front in the shop, cane by his hand, the door partially open. He struggled to his feet, supporting his weight on the wooden walking aid. He stumbled to the back of his shop, needing to rest, and practically fell onto the stool by his spinning wheel. When he opened his eyes he could sense it was much later. He rushed to the front of the shop, realising he was wasting precious time, and glanced at the clock that was closest to him. And the next. And the next. He had been unconscious for so long that he no longer had the time to save the boy from the netherworld, for that had surely been a cursed turnover he had eaten. _That was what Regina used her magic for._

The deal-maker rushed across the road, still not bothering to lock his door, and hoped that the Library was not yet locked. It wasn't. He burst through the door, this time surprising Mrs Berrin at the reference desk, who was sporting a bruise from a once-loving husband. Belle's sympathetic expression turned to shock once more, but the school principal was gone before the women could say their goodbyes, scared out of her wits by his abrupt arrival.  
"Rumple? What's wrong?"  
"In a few minutes, Regina's magic is going to take effect."  
"You figured out what she's doing? Did you have a vision?"  
"Yes. She must have used whatever magic she could find to either create a sleeping curse or reach back into our land to get an already cursed apple. She's given it to the Sheriff in a turnover, but young Henry's going to eat it instead."  
"What!? We have to do something!" The brunette grabbed her coat, and bent to put on her shoes.  
"No."  
"Rumplestiltkin!" she cried in indignation.  
"There's nothing we can do, dearie, it's too late. I came to tell you, because surely this will force the Saviour to believe. The curse is ending, and we need to be prepared for when the Saviour comes for our help."  
Belle frowned, clearly concerned, but nodded. The a shiver went down his spine, and his love shuddered.  
"He's cursed.." Her voice was small. Even the Dark One was saddened by the loss of children. Or perhaps she'd just inherited that part of the curse from him.  
"Don't worry dearie. He'll awaken soon." She nodded again, and he gave her a light kiss on the forehead before crossing the road to his shop once more. Either today or tomorrow the Saviour would arrive, and all of the chaos would begin.

-

With a shaky breath he sat back on the little wooden stool, and laid the sword against his knee, bringing up the rough stone he held. The Saviour would need a sharp weapon if she was going to defeat a dragon.


End file.
